Reference no: EM13708410

Compute all parts of given question:

Question: You have been able to get a part-time job in a University laboratory. The group is planning a set of experiments to study the forces between nuclei in order to understand the energy output of the sun. To do this experiment, you shoot alpha particles from a Van de Graaf accelerator at a sheet of lead. The alpha particle if the nucleus of a helium atom and is made of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. The lead nucleus is made of 82 protons and 125 neutrons. The mass of the neutron is almost the same as the mass of the proton. To assure that you are actually studying the effects of the nuclear force, an alpha particle should come into contact with a lead nucleus. Assume that both the alpha particle and the lead nucleus have the shape of a sphere. The alpha particle has a radius of 1.0 x 10-13 cm and the lead nucleus has a radius 4 times larger. Your boss wants you to make two calculations:

Part A: What is the minimum speed of such an alpha particle if the lead nucleus is fixed at rest?

Part B: What is the potential difference between the two ends of the Van de Graff accelerator if the alpha particle starts from rest at one end (from a bittle of helium gas)?

I need help to find the minimum speed of such an alpha particle if the lead nucleus is fixed at rest.