A muon and an electron are travelling at the same speed - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 16 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 16
A muon and an electron are travelling at the same speed.
Which row gives the particle with the greater kinetic energy and the particle with the longer de Broglie wa... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A muon and an electron are travelling at the same speed - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 16 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Greater kinetic energy
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Answer
The muon has a greater mass than the electron. According to the kinetic energy formula,
KE=21mv2
where (m) is mass and (v) is velocity. Since both are traveling at the same speed, the muon, being more massive, will have the greater kinetic energy.
Step 2
Longer de Broglie wavelength
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Answer
The de Broglie wavelength is given by the formula:
λ=mvh
where (h) is Planck's constant, (m) is mass, and (v) is velocity. Even though both particles are traveling at the same speed, the electron has a smaller mass. Thus, the electron will have a longer de Broglie wavelength compared to the muon.
