College Physics (4th Edition)

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073512141
ISBN 13: 978-0-07351-214-3

Chapter 7 - Problems - Page 266: 70

Answer

The x-component of the deuteron's velocity after the collision is $\frac{v_i}{2}$ The y-component of the deuteron's velocity after the collision is $-\frac{v_i}{6}$

Work Step by Step

Let $M$ be the mass of the neutron. By conservation of momentum, the final momentum of the system is equal to the initial momentum. We can find the horizontal component $v_x$ of the velocity of the deuteron: $(2M)~v_x +(M)~(0) = M~v_i$ $v_x = \frac{v_i}{2}$ The x-component of the deuteron's velocity after the collision is $\frac{v_i}{2}$ We can find the vertical component $v_y$ of the velocity of the deuteron: $(2M)~v_y +(M)~(\frac{v_i}{3}) = (M)~(0)$ $(2M)~v_y = 0 -(M)~(\frac{v_i}{3})$ $v_y = -\frac{v_i}{6}$ The y-component of the deuteron's velocity after the collision is $-\frac{v_i}{6}$
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