Question 1:
From Rutherford's alpha-particle scattering experiment, derive the
minimum distance that the alpha-particle (4He nucleus)
can get to the center of the Au nucleus.
[Hint: M4He = 6.7 x 10-27kg,
Ekin, 4He = 5 MeV,
ZAu = +79 e. You may use either SI or Natural Units.]
Question 2:
Estimate the mass of the pion (carrier of the strong nuclear force,
exchanged between two nucleons) from the Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principle.
[Hint: consider the typical range of the strong nuclear force,
which is ~ 1.5 fm]
Discuss the limitations of this formula when applied to other
force carriers (e.g. the photon).
Question 3:
In proton-proton collisions, what is the minimum energy that an
incident proton needs to have in order to produce an antiproton in
the final state?
[Hint: consider the reaction
p + p -> p + p + p + pbar in the c.m. frame]