When a projectile particle with kinetic energy greater than the threshold kinetic energy K_th strikes a stationary target particle, one or more particles may be created in the inelastic collision. Show that the threshold kinetic energy of the projectile is given by

Here Σm_in is the sum of the rest masses of the projectile and target particles, Σm_fin is the sum of the rest masses of the final particles, and m_target is the rest mass of the target particle. Use this expression to determine the threshold kinetic energy of protons incident on a stationary proton target for the production of a proton–antiproton pair; compare your result with that of Problem 60.

Transcribed Image Text:

(E min +E mfin (E mfin -2 min c2 Kth 2m, "target