Nuclear fusion reactions inside stars and reactors produce energy. One proposed reaction involves a proton (11H^1_1\text{H}11H) and two neutrons (01n^1_0\text{n}01n) fusing to form a tritium nucleus (13H^3_1\text{H}13H):
11H+2 01n→ 13H ^1_1\text{H} + 2 \ ^1_0\text{n} \rightarrow \ ^3_1\text{H} 11H+2 01n→ 13HIn this reaction, 8.4 MeV8.4\text{ MeV}8.4 MeV of energy is released.
Only one of the particles in the reaction has a non-zero binding energy. Determine the binding energy per nucleon of this particle. Explain your answer.
Explain why extremely high temperatures are necessary for fusion reactions to occur between nuclei.
A high-energy gamma photon can spontaneously create a muon-antimuon pair (pair production). Calculate the maximum wavelength of a gamma photon for this pair production event.
(Mass of a muon, mμ=1.89×10−28 kgm_{\mu} = 1.89 \times 10^{-28}\text{ kg}mμ=1.89×10−28 kg; Planck constant, h=6.63×10−34 J sh = 6.63 \times 10^{-34}\text{ J s}h=6.63×10−34 J s; speed of light, c=3.00×108 m s−1c = 3.00 \times 10^8\text{ m s}^{-1}c=3.00×108 m s−1)