What happens after an elastic collision between a hydrogen atom at rest and a helium atom moving 150 m/s? Which direction will the particle move after the collision? Which particle will have a higher speed after the collision? What happens when a neutron moving at 150 m/s hits a hydrogen atom at rest?
For an elastic collision, both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved.
Conservation of momentum
m(He)*v(He,initial) = m(He)*v(He,final) + m(H)*v(H)
where m(He) is the mass of the Helium,
v(He, inital) is the initial speed of the Helium , etc. . .
Conservation of kinetic energy:
0.5*m(He)*v(He,initial)^2 = 0.5*m(He)*v(He,final)^2 + m(H)*v(H)^2
you should be able to look up the masses of a hydrogen atom and a helium atom. Then, you have two equations with 2 unknowns (v(He, final) and v(H)). You can use algebra to solve for these two values.
For the second part, repeat this problem by replacing the helium with a neutron.
To determine what happens after an elastic collision, we can apply the principles of conservation of momentum and conservation of kinetic energy.
1. Elastic Collision between Hydrogen and Helium Atoms:
a. Before the collision: The hydrogen atom is at rest (relative velocity = 0 m/s), and the helium atom is moving at 150 m/s.
b. After the collision: Both atoms will move, conserving momentum and kinetic energy.
c. Direction of the particle: To determine the direction of each particle after the collision, we need additional information, such as the angle at which they collide or any other forces acting on them. Without this information, we cannot conclusively determine the direction of motion.
d. Higher speed after the collision: Since an elastic collision conserves kinetic energy, we need to compare the initial and final kinetic energies to determine which particle will have a higher speed after the collision. Without knowing the masses of the atoms, we cannot assess their final speeds definitively.
2. Neutron and Hydrogen Atom Collision:
a. Before the collision: The hydrogen atom is at rest, and the neutron is moving at 150 m/s.
b. After the collision: When a neutron moving at a high speed collides with a hydrogen atom at rest, an inelastic collision occurs. The neutron may be absorbed by the hydrogen atom, forming a deuterium atom. The result is based on the specific interaction between a neutron and a hydrogen atom, which may involve the exchange of various particles, as per nuclear physics. Determining the exact outcome would require more detailed information about the specific conditions and relevant forces involved.