Chapter 4: Q52P (page 780)
A proton and an alpha particle are released from rest when they are 0.225 nm apart. The alpha particle (a helium nucleus) has essentially four times the mass and two times the charge of a proton. Find the maximum speedand maximum accelerationof each of these particles. When do these maxima occur: just following the release of the particles or after a very long time?
Short Answer
The maximum speed of proton is
The maximum acceleration of proton is
The maximum speed of alpha particle is
The maximum acceleration of the alpha particle is
The maximum acceleration occurs immediately after the release. It takes a longer time to attain the maximum speed.