A delta particle decays into a proton and a pion - Edexcel - A-Level Physics - Question 15 - 2023 - Paper 1
Question 15
A delta particle decays into a proton and a pion.
The diagram shows tracks in a particle detector formed when the delta particle decays.
(i) State why it can be co... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A delta particle decays into a proton and a pion - Edexcel - A-Level Physics - Question 15 - 2023 - Paper 1
Step 1
State why it can be concluded from the diagram that the delta particle is neutral.
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Answer
It can be concluded that the delta particle is neutral because the tracks of the decay products (the proton and pion) show no curvature in the magnetic field, indicating that there is no net charge acting on the delta particle.
Step 2
Deduce the charge on the pion.
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Answer
Since a proton has a charge of +1, and the delta particle is neutral, the charge on the pion must be -1 in order to balance the total charge after the decay.
Step 3
Complete the particle equation for the decay of the delta ($ riangle^0$) particle:
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△0→p+π−
Step 4
State why the delta particle must be classified as a baryon based on the evidence of its decay.
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Answer
The delta particle must be classified as a baryon because it decays into three particles: one proton and one pion, and it contains three quarks (which is the defining characteristic of baryons).
