A charged particle track in a bubble chamber has momentum

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Particle Physics & Quantum Fields · Particles, interactions and experiment · Particles, interactions and experiment

Particle Physics, Ch The particle zoo and the four interactions

Problem

A charged particle track in a bubble chamber has momentum p=280 MeV/cp = 280\,\mathrm{MeV}/c, read from its curvature in the known magnetic field, and speed β=0.900\beta = 0.900, read from the density of ionisation along the track. The same track ends after a measured lab-frame decay length of L=16.1 mL = 16.1\,\mathrm{m}. ((a)) Find the particle's rest mass mm. ((b)) Find its mean lifetime τ\tau, in its own rest frame. ((c)) State which lifetime band this places the decay in, and which fundamental interaction is responsible.

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