Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Electrostatic Potential Energy
Electrostatic potential energy is the energy stored due to the position of charged particles relative to each other. It can be calculated using the formula U = k * (q1 * q2) / r, where k is Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the charges, and r is the distance between them. In this scenario, the alpha particle and the lead nucleus create an electrostatic interaction that influences the potential energy as the alpha particle approaches the nucleus.
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Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion, expressed as KE = 0.5 * m * v^2, where m is the mass and v is the velocity of the object. In the context of the alpha particle, its initial kinetic energy is crucial for understanding how much energy it had before interacting with the lead nucleus, and it will be converted into potential energy as the particle approaches the nucleus.
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Conservation of Energy
The principle of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. In this problem, the initial kinetic energy of the alpha particle is converted into electrostatic potential energy as it approaches the lead nucleus. This principle allows us to relate the kinetic energy before the interaction to the potential energy at the point of closest approach.
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