Nuclei Ques 24

24. A nucleus of mass M emits a photon of frequency $v$ and the nucleus recoils. The recoil energy will be

[2011]

(a) $Mc^{2}-hv$

(b) $h^{2} v^{2} / 2 Mc^{2}$

(c) zero

(d) $h \nu$

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Answer:

Correct Answer: 24.(b)

Solution:

  1. (b) Momentum

$Mu=\frac{E}{c}=\frac{h \nu}{c}$

Recoil energy

$\frac{1}{2} Mu^{2}=\frac{1}{2} \frac{M^{2} u^{2}}{M}=\frac{1}{2 M}(\frac{h v}{c})^{2}=\frac{h^{2} v^{2}}{2 Mc^{2}}$