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Laduch asked in Science & Mathematics Physics · 1 decade ago

linear momentum related problem?

The smoke detector in your house contains a very small quantity of the radioactive element Americium-241. Americium-241 decays by the emission of an α-particle into Neptunium-237. If the α-particle is found to have a velocity of 1.63 × 107 m/s and the Neptunium-237 nucleus has a velocity of –3.68 × 105 m/s, estimate the mass of the original Americium-241 nucleus. (The mass of an α-particle is 6.65 × 10-27 kg.)

1 Answer

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Steve
Lv 7
1 decade ago
Favourite answer
Conservation of momentum leads to
Mn = Mα*Vα/Vn
Ma = Mn + Mα = Mα(Vα/Vn + 1)
Estimate only. Relativity not taken into account.

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