Consider the reaction in which a proton strikes a stationary Li target

PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Nuclear physics · Nuclear physics

Problem

Consider the reaction 11H+  37Li  →  47Be+ 01n_1^1\text H +\;_3^7\text{Li}\;\rightarrow\;_4^7\text{Be}+\,_0^1\text n in which a proton strikes a stationary 7^7Li target. Masses: m(11H)=1.00728 u,  m(37Li)=7.01600 u,  m(47Be)=7.01693 u,  m(01n)=1.00866 u.m(_1^1\text H)=1.00728\,\text u,\; m(_3^7\text{Li})=7.01600\,\text u,\; m(_4^7\text{Be})=7.01693\,\text u,\; m(_0^1\text n)=1.00866\,\text u. Take 1 u=931.5 MeV/c21\,\text u = 931.5\,\text{MeV}/c^2. (a) Calculate the Q-value of the reaction. (b) Determine the minimum kinetic energy (in MeV) that the incident proton must have for this reaction to occur when the lithium target is at rest.

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