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Problem37 77

(1) In a collision between two protons of equal mass in their center of momentum frame, the protons come to rest after colliding and produce two kaons, with the kinetic energy of the protons equaling the total rest energy of the kaons. (2) This allows calculating that the velocity of each proton in the center of momentum frame is 0.7554c. (3) To get the velocity in the lab frame, where one proton is the projectile, Lorentz transformations show the projectile velocity is 0.9619c, with a lab frame kinetic energy of 2494 MeV.

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13 views1 page

Problem37 77

(1) In a collision between two protons of equal mass in their center of momentum frame, the protons come to rest after colliding and produce two kaons, with the kinetic energy of the protons equaling the total rest energy of the kaons. (2) This allows calculating that the velocity of each proton in the center of momentum frame is 0.7554c. (3) To get the velocity in the lab frame, where one proton is the projectile, Lorentz transformations show the projectile velocity is 0.9619c, with a lab frame kinetic energy of 2494 MeV.

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IENCS
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37.

77: a) In the center of momentum frame, the two protons approach each other with
equal velocities (since the protons have the same mass). After the collision, the two protons
are at rest─but now there are kaons as well. In this situation the kinetic energy of the
protons must equal the total rest energy of the two kaons ⇒ 2( γ cm −1)m p c = 2mk c ⇒
2 2

m
γ cm = 1 + k = 1.526 . The velocity of a proton in the center of momentum frame is then
mp
2
γ cm −1
vcm = c 2
= 0.7554 c.
γ cm
To get the velocity of this proton in the lab frame, we must use the Lorentz
velocity transformations. This is the same as “hopping” into the proton that will be our
target and asking what the velocity of the projectile proton is. Taking the lab frame to be
the unprimed frame moving to the left, u = v cm and v ′ = v cm (the velocity of the projectile
proton in the center of momentum frame).
v′ + u 2vcm
vlab = = = 0.9619c
uv ′ v 2
1+ 2 1+ 2 cm
c c
1
⇒ γ lab = = 3.658
2
vlab
1− 2
c
⇒ K lab = ( γ lab − 1)m p c 2 = 2494 MeV.
K lab 2494 MeV
b)  = = 2.526 .
2mk 2(493 .7 MeV)
c) The center of momentum case considered in part (a) is the same as this
situation. Thus, the kinetic energy required is just twice the rest mass energy of the kaons.
K cm = 2( 493 .7 MeV) = 987.4 MeV. This offers a substantial advantage over the fixed
target experiment in part (b). It takes less energy to create two kaons in the proton center
of momentum frame.

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