Consider
the decay of a free neutron at rest: n
→
p+ e–
Show
that the two-body decay of this type must necessarily give an
electron of fixed energy and, therefore, cannot account for the
observed continuous energy distribution in the β-decay
of a neutron or a nucleus (Fig. 6.19).
[Note:
The simple result of
this exercise was one among the several arguments advanced by W.
Pauli to predict the existence of a third particle in the decay
products of β-decay.
This particle is known as neutrino. We now know that it is a particle
of intrinsic spin ½ (like e–,
p or
n),
but is neutral, and either massless or having an extremely small mass
(compared to the mass of electron) and which interacts very weakly
with matter. The correct decay process of neutron is: n
→
p + e–+ ν]
Consider the decay of a free neutron at rest: n → p+ e–
Show that the two-body decay of this type must necessarily give an electron of fixed energy and, therefore, cannot account for the observed continuous energy distribution in the β-decay of a neutron or a nucleus (Fig. 6.19).
[Note: The simple result of this exercise was one among the several arguments advanced by W. Pauli to predict the existence of a third particle in the decay products of β-decay. This particle is known as neutrino. We now know that it is a particle of intrinsic spin ½ (like e–, p or n), but is neutral, and either massless or having an extremely small mass (compared to the mass of electron) and which interacts very weakly with matter. The correct decay process of neutron is: n → p + e–+ ν]