Question

Ionizing radiation interacts with matter by scattering from electrons and nuclei in the substance. Based on the law of conservation of momentum and energy, explain why electrons tend to absorb more energy than nuclei in these interactions.

Short answer

The mass of electron is less

Step-by-step solution

Law of conservation of energy

According to the rule of conservation of energy, energy can only be transformed from one form of energy to another and cannot be created or destroyed. This indicates that unless energy is added from the outside, a system always has the same quantity of energy.

 Electrons tend to absorb more energy than nuclei

Ionizing radiation is the radiation that is responsible for the ionization of atom. lonization of atom means detachment of electron from atom. The energy of these radiations is very high. Conservation of energy states that the energy of system is neither created nor destroyed unless an external force applied on it. And Conservation of momentum states that the total momentum before collision is equal to total momentum after collision.

Ionization radiations are emitted by de excitation of electron or nucleus. of As mass of nucleus is greater than the mass of electron then the lesser massive object poses more velocity and more energy. So electron absorbs more energy because the mass of electron is less than mass of nucleus.

Hence, the mass of electron is less