nuclei were very small and dense by scattering helium-4 nuclei from gold-197 nuclei. The energy of the
incoming helium nucleus was 8.00 x 10-13 J, and the masses of the helium and gold nuclei were
6.68 x 10-27 kg and 3.29 × 10-25 kg, respectively (note that their mass ratio is 4 to 197).
a. If a helium nucleus scatters to an angle of 120° during an elastic collision with a gold nucleus, calculate the
helium nucleus's final speed and the final velocity (magnitude and direction) of the gold nucleus.
He nucleus
V₁
120°
Gold nucleus
b. What is the final kinetic energy of the helium nucleus?
Fig: 1