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JEE Advanced · Physics · 28. Nuclear Physics

The \(\beta\)-decay process, discovered around 1900 , is basically the decay of a neutron \((n)\). In the laboratory, a proton \((p)\) and an electron \(\left(e^{-}\right)\)are observed as the decay products of the neutron. Therefore, considering the decay of a neutron as a two-body decay process, it was predicted theoretically that the kinetic energy of the electron should be a constant. But experimentally, it was observed that the electron kinetic energy has continuous spectrum. Considering a three-body decay process, i.e.
\(n \rightarrow p+e^{-}+\bar{v}_{e}\), around 1930, Pauli explained the observed electron energy spectrum. Assuming the anti-neutrino \(\left(\bar{v}_{e}\right)\) to be massless and possessing negligible energy, and the neutron to be at rest, momentum and energy conservation principles are applied. From this calculation, the maximum kinetic energy of the electron is \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\). The kinetic energy carried by the proton is only the recoil energy.
Question:
What is the maximum energy of the anti-neutrino?

  1. A Zero
  2. B Much less than \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\).
  3. C Nearly \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\)
  4. D Much larger than \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\)
Verified Solution

Answer & Solution

Correct Answer

(C) Nearly \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\)

Step-by-step Solution

Detailed explanation

\(\because K_{p}^{-}+K_{e}^{-}+K_{v}^{-}=0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\)

When \(K_{e}^{-}=0\) then \(K_{p}^{-}+K_{v}^{-}=0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\)

Mass of \(\bar{v}< < P \therefore\) maximum energy of anti-neutrino is nearly \(0.8 \times 10^{6} \mathrm{eV}\).
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