A nucleus of uranium decays at rest into nuclei of thorium and helium. Then:

A nucleus of uranium decays at rest into nuclei of thorium and helium. Then:

The helium nucleus has less momentum then the thorium nucleus
The helium nucleus has more momentum than the thorium nucleus
The helium nucleus has less kinetic energy than the thorium nucleus
The helium nucleus has more kinetic energy than the thorium nucleus

Solution

U \to T h + α

K E_{T h} = \frac{P^{2}}{2 m_{T h}}, K E_{α} = \frac{P^{2}}{2 m_{α}}

Since

m_{α}

is less so

K E_{α}

will be more.

Asked in: NEET 2015 (Phase 2)

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