Muons
(mass
|
Solution: Click For PDF Version Relativistic equation for the momentum of a particle of rest mass m moving with velocity v is
Algebraically rearranging the above expression, we find that
We will use
the above result for calculating the ratios
We find that
and
A particle emits Cerenkov radiation in a medium only if its speed exceeds the speed of light in that medium. Therefore, the range of index of refraction of the material
will be fixed
by requiring that the speed of the muons is greater than the speed
of light in the medium,
|
)
and neutral pions
,
each with momentum
,
pass through a transparent material.
We have to find the range of index of
refraction so that only the muons emit Cerenkov radiation.
for neutral pions and muons having momentum
.
,
,
and that the speed of light in the medium exceeds the speed of
neutral pions in the medium. The range of refractive index of the
material should therefore be
