Nuclear & Particle Physics - Uranium Decay

A uranium nucleus decays at rest into a thorium nucleus and a helium nucleus, as shown above. Which of the following is true?

A. Each decay product has the same kinetic energy.
B. Each decay product has the same speed.
C. The decay products tend to go in the same direction.
D. The thorium nucleus has more momentum than the helium nucleus.
E. The helium nucleus has more kinetic energy than the thorium nucleus.
(GR9277 #75)
Solution:

Conservation of momentum:
Uranium nucleus decays at rest:

C. FALSE


Thus, Helium has more momentum and kinetic energy than Thorium.
A, B, D are FALSE

Answer: E

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