I need help calculating the impact speed of a positron and electron starting at 5 cm apart
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From: franklinhu on 10 May 2010 00:38 Let's say we have a positron and electron at rest with respect to each other. Since they are oppositely charged, they are immediately attracted to each other and begin to accelerate toward each other. At any point in the path, you can calculate the force between them using Columbs law, based on that, you could calculate the acceleration, but how do you calculate what would be the velocity of the positron and electron as they approach each other and then collide from some starting distance like 5cm? As distance approaches zero, the force approaches infinity. Does this mean that the velocity may approach infinity due to the infinite force acting on a mass or is there some limiting mechanism? Please help? -thanks fhuemc
From: Llanzlan Klazmon on 10 May 2010 02:00 On May 10, 4:38 pm, franklinhu <frankli...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Let's say we have a positron and electron at rest with respect to each > other. Since they are oppositely charged, they are immediately > attracted to each other and begin to accelerate toward each other. At > any point in the path, you can calculate the force between them using > Columbs law, based on that, you could calculate the acceleration, but > how do you calculate what would be the velocity of the positron and > electron as they approach each other and then collide from some > starting distance like 5cm? As distance approaches zero, the force > approaches infinity. Does this mean that the velocity may approach > infinity due to the infinite force acting on a mass or is there some > limiting mechanism? Please help? > > -thanks > fhuemc They will annihilate each other before they hit.
From: Androcles on 10 May 2010 10:53 "franklinhu" <franklinhu(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:5cc967c0-8352-4325-b2e8-5ae32d2af61c(a)a2g2000prd.googlegroups.com... > Let's say we have a positron and electron at rest with respect to each > other. Since they are oppositely charged, they are immediately > attracted to each other and begin to accelerate toward each other. At > any point in the path, you can calculate the force between them using > Columbs law, based on that, you could calculate the acceleration, but > how do you calculate what would be the velocity of the positron and > electron as they approach each other and then collide from some > starting distance like 5cm? As distance approaches zero, the force > approaches infinity. Does this mean that the velocity may approach > infinity due to the infinite force acting on a mass or is there some > limiting mechanism? Please help? > > -thanks > fhuemc Google "Xeno's paradox".
From: Uncle Ben on 10 May 2010 11:02 On May 10, 12:38 am, franklinhu <frankli...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Let's say we have a positron and electron at rest with respect to each > other. Since they are oppositely charged, they are immediately > attracted to each other and begin to accelerate toward each other. At > any point in the path, you can calculate the force between them using > Columbs law, based on that, you could calculate the acceleration, but > how do you calculate what would be the velocity of the positron and > electron as they approach each other and then collide from some > starting distance like 5cm? As distance approaches zero, the force > approaches infinity. Does this mean that the velocity may approach > infinity due to the infinite force acting on a mass or is there some > limiting mechanism? Please help? > > -thanks > fhuemc You need to study quantum mechanics and learn how probability enters the problem. The particles do not have precise positions and velocities. Uncle Ben
From: Uncle Al on 10 May 2010 11:12
franklinhu wrote: > > Let's say we have a positron and electron at rest with respect to each > other. Since they are oppositely charged, they are immediately > attracted to each other and begin to accelerate toward each other. At > any point in the path, you can calculate the force between them using > Columbs law, based on that, you could calculate the acceleration, but > how do you calculate what would be the velocity of the positron and > electron as they approach each other and then collide from some > starting distance like 5cm? As distance approaches zero, the force > approaches infinity. Does this mean that the velocity may approach > infinity due to the infinite force acting on a mass or is there some > limiting mechanism? Please help? 1) Calculate the coulombic potential energy at the start. 2) Calculate the coulomb potntial energy at an evolved lesser separation. 3) The difference is kinetic energy. 4) sigh -- Uncle Al http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/ (Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals) http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz4.htm |