Scattering experiment: A particle (bound state of 2 protons and 2 neutrons) undergoes a head-on collision with a gold nucleus (atomic number 79), coming as close as 7×10^-15 m from the nucleus before turning around.
2. (2 points) What was the kinetic energy of the particle before interacting with the nucleus?
A. 45.8 MeV
B. 23.1 MeV
C. 17.2 MeV
D. 32.3 MeV
E. 0 MeV
A rocket traveled from Earth to a distant planet at a speed of 0.8c. According to the clock on the rocket, the journey took 1.25×10^10 s.
3. (3 points) What is the proper distance between Earth and the distant planet?
A. 9 × 10^18 m
B. 3 × 10^18 m
C. 7 × 10^18 m
D. 5 × 10^18 m
E. 1 × 10^18 m