How to solve this: A pi^+ decays into a muon and neutrino. Find the pion's energy if max E_ν/min E_ν = 100/1; m_ν=0; m_pi∗c^2=140 peta-eV

Russell Marsh

Russell Marsh

Answered question

2022-09-27

How to solve this:
A π + decays into a muon and neutrino. Find the pion's energy if
max E ν / min E ν = 100 / 1 ;
m ν = 0
m π c 2 = 140  peta-eV

Answer & Explanation

Cody Petty

Cody Petty

Beginner2022-09-28Added 6 answers

Here's the deal. The energy of the decay products depends only on the emission angles in the laboratory frame (they always come out back-to-back in the decay frame).
First, recall that you must conserve four momentum at the vertex, and that you can look up the mass the muon.
So, draw the kinematics for the most and least energetic neutrino emissions (this is the part the problem expects you to think about, the rest is mechanical computation); express the neutrino energies in terms of only the masses and the pion energy; form the ratio, equate it too 100 and solve for E π .

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