Homework Help: physics

Posted by mdave on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 1:22pm.

In Rutherford's scattering experiments, alpha particles (charge = +2e) were fired at a gold foil. Consider an alpha particle, very far from the gold foil, with an initial kinetic energy of 3.3 MeV heading directly for a gold atom (charge +79e). The alpha particle will come to rest when all its initial kinetic energy has been converted to electrical potential energy. Find the distance of closest approach between the alpha particle and the gold nucleus.

physics - drwls, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 6:36am
Set
M V^2/2 = Z*2*e^2/d

where M is the mass of the alpha particle and Z is the atomic number of gold (79). Solve for the minimum separation, d.

V is the velocity associated with the 3.3 MeV energy of the alpha particle.
(Or just convert 3.3 MeV to Joules for the left side)
physics - mdave, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 7:47pm
Thank you, but in the above equation what does the e in e^2 equal?

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