Recitation 8

Chapter 9

Problem 9.23. Calculate the momentum of an electron moving with a speed of (a) 0.0100c, (b) 0.500c, (c) 0.900c.
The momentum (using relativistic mass) is given by

p = mv = γm0 v (1)

(a)

γ = 1.0000500 (2)
p = 5.11 keV/c (3)

(b)

γ = 1.155 (4)
p = 295 keV/c (5)

(c)

γ = 2.294 (6)
p = 1.06 MeV/c (7)

Problem 9.30. Show that, for any object moving at less than one-tenth the speed of light, the relativistic kinetic energy
agrees with the result of the classical equation K = 12 mv 2 to within less than 1%. Therefore, for most purposes the classical
equation is good enough to describe these objects, whose motion we call nonrelativistic.
The kinetic energy is the energy that is due to the objects motion. In other words, the increase in the total energy over the
rest mass (in the absence of potential energies etc.). In math
 
2 −0.5
"  #
2 2 2 2 1 2 v
K = E − m0 c = mc − m0 c = (γ − 1)m0 c =  q − 1 m0 c = 1− 2 − 1 m0 c2 (8)
v2
1 − c2 c

Using the Taylor series expansion around x = 0,

(1 + x)b ≈ 1 + bx + O(x2 ) (9)

we see that for small x = −v 2 /c2 , the kinetic energy looks like

v2
  
1
K= 1 + 0.5 2 + O(v 4 /c4 ) − 1 m0 c2 = 0.5m0 v 2 + O(m0 v 4 /c2 ) ≈ m0 v 2 (10)
c 2

with the relative error on the order of v 2 /c2 < 0.01 = 1% for v < 0.1c, which is what we set out to show.
Alternatively, we can compare the exact kinetic energy with the nonrelativistic form for v = 0.1c. From the above analysis,
we see that the relative error will be less for slower v.
1
γ=√ = 1.00503782 (11)
1 − 0.12
Krel = (γ − 1)m0 c2 = 0.00503782γm0 c2 (12)
1
Knon = m0 v 2 = 0.5 · m0 · 0.01c2 = 0.005m0 c2 (13)
2
Knon 0.005
= = 0.992494 (14)
Krel 0.00503782
for a 7.51% relative underestimate.
Problem 9.31. An electron has a kinetic energy five times greater than its rest energy. Find (a) its total energy and (b) its
speed.
The total energy is (a)
E = K + m0 c2 = (5 + 1)m0 c2 = 6 · 511 keV = 3.07 MeV (15)
(b)
E = mc2 = γm0 c2 = 6m0 c2 (16)
1
γ=q =6 (17)
2
1 − vc2
1 v2
2
=1− 2 (18)
6 r c
v 1
= 1 − 2 = 0.986 (19)
c 6
v = 0.986c (20)

Problem 9.35. The rest energy of an electron is 0.511 MeV. The rest energy of a proton is 938 MeV. Assume that both
particles have kinetic energies of 2.00 MeV. Find the speed of (a) the electron and (b) the proton. (c) By how much does the
speed of the electron exceed that of the proton? (d) Repeat the calculations assuming that both particles have kinetic energies
of 2, 000 MeV.
First we’ll work out the solution symbolically, since we’ll need it twice. The total energy yields γ, which in turn yields v.
E = K + m0 c2 = γm0 c2 (21)
K
γ= +1 (22)
m0 c2
1
γ=q (23)
2
1 − vc2
1 v2
2
=1− 2 (24)
γ c
r
v 1
= 1− 2 (25)
c γ
r
1
v = 1− 2 ·c (26)
γ
Applying these formula to our various situations, we get
(a)
2.00 MeV
γa = + 1 = 4.91 (27)
0.511 MeV
va = 0.979c (28)
(b)
2.00 MeV
γb = + 1 = 1.00213 (29)
938 MeV
vb = 0.0652c (30)
(c)
va − vb = 0.914c (31)
(d)
2.00 GeV
γe = + 1 = 3.91e3 (32)
0.511 MeV
ve = (1 − 3.26 · 10−8 )c (33)
2.00 GeV
γp = + 1 = 3.16 (34)
938 MeV
vp = 0.948c (35)
ve − vp = 0.0523c (36)
Problem 9.V13. A proton (rest energy 938 MeV) moving with velocity v has a total energy of 1173 MeV. (a) What is the
proton’s velocity (in multiples of c and in m/s)? (b) What is the proton’s linear momentum (in MeV/c)?
(a) Using our results from Problem 9.35,

E 1173
γ= = = 1.25 (37)
m0 c2 938
r
1
v = 1 − 2 c = 0.600c = 180 Mm/s (38)
γ

(b)
p = mv = γm0 v = 1.25 · 938 MeV/c2 · 0.600c = 704 MeV/c (39)

Problem 9.V17. A particle of rest mass 1.2 MeV/c2 and kinetic energy 2.0 MeV collides with a stationary particle of rest
mass 2.4 MeV/c2 . After the collision the particles stick together. (a) What is the speed of the first particle before the collision?
(b) What is the total energy of the first particle before the collision? (c) What is the total initial momentum of the system?
(d) What is the rest mass of the system after the collison? (e) What is the total kinetic energy after the collision? (f ) What
conclusions can you draw from your ansers in parts (d) and (e)?

(a) Using our results from Problem 9.35,

K 2.0
γi,1 = +1= + 1 = 2.67 (40)
m0,1 c2 1.2
s
1
vi,1 = 1 − 2 c = 0.927c (41)
γi,1

(b)
Ei,1 = γm0,1 c2 = 2.67 · 1.2 MeV = 3.20 MeV (42)
(c)
pi = mi,1 vi,1 = γi,1 m0 vi,1 = 2.67 · 1.2 MeV/c2 · 0.927c = 2.97 MeV/c (43)
(d) Conserving momentum
pi = pf = γf m0,f vf = 2.97 MeV/c (44)
Conserving energy
Ei = (1.2 + 2.0 + 2.4) MeV = 5.6 MeV = Ef = γf m0,f c2 (45)
Using the relativistic energy-momentum relationship (Eqn. 9.22)

Ef2 = p2f c2 + m20,f c4 (46)

q p
m0,f c2 = Ef2 − p2f c2 = (5.6 MeV)2 − (2.97 MeV)2 = 4.75 MeV (47)
2
m0,f = 4.75 MeV/c (48)

“But wait!” you might say, “In our mechanics class, we learned that you only conserve momentum for inelastic collisions.
You conserve both momentum and energy for elastic collisions.” If so, your memory is tricking you. For elastic collisions
(and not for inelastic collisions), you conserve kinetic energy. Note that we don’t conserve kinetic energy (see (f)), but the
total energy, which is always conserved in isolated systems.
(e) The kinetic energy is the increase in energy over the rest energy

Kf = Ef − m0,f c2 = 5.6 MeV − 4.75 MeV = 0.852 MeV (49)

(f) 2.0 − 0.852 = 1.15 MeV of initial kinetic energy is converted to rest energy during the collision. The increased rest energy
shows that the internal energy of the composite partical has increased. For example, if the particles were lumps of clay, they
would be warmer after the collision, and this increased thermal energy would show up as an increased rest mass. Or if the
particles were oppositely charged, the increased electric potential energy would show up in the increased rest mass.