Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
A free neutron decays to a proton but a free proton does not decay to a neutron. This is because
Options
neutron is a composite particle made of a proton and an electron whereas proton is a fundamental particle
neutron is an uncharged particle whereas proton is a charged particle
neutron has large rest mass than the proton
weak forces can operate in a neutron but not in a proton
Advertisements
Solution
neutron has large rest mass than the proton.
A nucleus is made up of two fundamental particles- neutrons and protons. If a nucleus has more number of neutrons than what is needed to have stability, then neutrons decay into protons and if there's an excess of protons, then they decay to form neutrons. Since a neutron has larger rest mass than a proton, the Q-value of its decay reaction is positive and a free neutron decays to a proton, while an isolated proton cannot decay to a neutron as the Q-value of its decay reaction is negative. Hence, it is physically not possible.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
The fission properties of `""_94^239"Pu"` are very similar to those of `""_92^235 "U"`. The average energy released per fission is 180 MeV. How much energy, in MeV, is released if all the atoms in 1 kg of pure `""_94^239 "Pu"` undergo fission?
A 1000 MW fission reactor consumes half of its fuel in 5.00 y. How much `""_92^235"U"` did it contain initially? Assume that the reactor operates 80% of the time, that all the energy generated arises from the fission of `""92^235"U"` and that this nuclide is consumed only by the fission process.
Calculate and compare the energy released by a) fusion of 1.0 kg of hydrogen deep within Sun and b) the fission of 1.0 kg of 235U in a fission reactor.
In a typical fission reaction, the nucleus is split into two middle-weight nuclei of unequal masses. Which of the two (heavier or lighter) has greater kinetic energy? Which one has greater liner momentum?
If three helium nuclei combine to form a carbon nucleus, energy is liberated. Why can't helium nuclei combine on their own and minimise the energy?
The mass of a neutral carbon atom in ground state is
As compared to 12C atom, 14C atom has
As the mass number A increases, which of the following quantities related to a nucleus do not change?
Calculate the energy released by 1g of natural uranium assuming 200 MeV is released in each fission event and that the fissionable isotope 235U has an abundance of 0.7% by weight in natural uranium.
Which particle is most likely to be captured by a 235u nucleus and cause it to undergo fission?
Assuming that about 200 MeV of energy is released per fission of 92U235 nuclei, then the mass of U235 consumed per day in a fission reactor of power 1 megawatt will be approximately ______.
How long can an electric lamp of 1000 W be kept glowing by fusion of 2.0 kg of deuterium? Take the fusion reaction as:
\[{}_{1}^{2}\mathrm{H}+_{1}^{2}\mathrm{H}\rightarrow{}_{2}^{3}\mathrm{He}+\mathrm{n}+3.27\mathrm{MeV}\]
If in nuclear fusion process the masses of the fusing nuclei be m1 and m2 and the mass of the resultant nucleus be m3, then:
Power generated by a nuclear reactor is given by P = n E / t. Here n represents:
\[\ce{^290_80X ->[\alpha] Y ->[e+] Z ->[\beta-] P ->[e-] Q}\]
In the nuclear emission stated above, the mass number and atomic number of the product Q respectively, are:
When \(_{92}^{235}U\) captures a bombarding neutron, the intermediate nucleus formed before it splits is:
Complete the fission reaction: \[_{0}^{1}n + _{92}^{235}U \to _{92}^{236}U \to _{56}^{144}Ba + _{36}^{89}Kr + \,?\]
In the neutron-induced fission of uranium-235 that produces \(_{51}^{133}Sb\) and \(_{41}^{99}Nb\) as fragments, the number of neutrons released is:
The enormous energy released in an atom bomb comes from:
