CLASSICAL MECHANICS Homework 11

1. In the case of the hard spheres model, let m1 = m2 . Consider the particles distinguishable, despite the fact that they have equal mass for example, one could be blue and the other red. Find the dierential cross sections for the two particles in the L-frame. Is the result isotropic?

2. A uniform beam of particles is incident on a hard, smooth, right-circular cone along the direction of the axis of the cone. (The vertex of the cone is towards the beam of the particles.) The height of the cone is H and the radius of the base is R. Calculate the dierential cross section d as a function of in the C-frame. If you have studied the -function, perhaps, you want to try to write down the dierential cross section per unit solid angle d/d.

3. The hard-sphere model discssed in class corespnds to a potential1 V (r ) = 0 , if r > R , , if r R ,

when expressed in spherical coordinates. Now, lets soften the collision by changing the potential to V (r ) = where V0 is some positive constant. (a) Draw the function V = V (r ) and give a qualitative discussion of the motion of a particle with energy E less or more than or equal to V0 . Consider a beam of particles with energy E > V0 . Particles with impact parameters b > R will not be deected. However, particles with impact parameters b R will feel the potential barrier and be deected. We would like to compute the function
I am using potential instead of potential energy since I have in mind the language of electricity. This is quite customary. If you do not like potential, substitute it with potential energy.
1

0, if r > R , V0 , if r R ,

b = b( ). The following steps attempt to guide you through this calculation. Name the area outside the sphere (I) and the area inside the sphere (II). (b) Apply energy conservation for areas (I) and (II). (c) At the point where the particle enters region (II), the velocity of the particle has a component parallel vparallel and one component perpendicular v to the sphere. One component remains unchanged, while the other changes. Explain why. (d) Let i be the incident angle and r be the transmission (refraction) angle. Show Snells law: sin i = n sin r , where n = E V0 . E

(e) Draw the path of the particle from the moment it enters the sphere up to the moment it exits the sphere. Show that the particle exits at angle i. Comment: If you have not noticed, please go back to your Intro Physics book (in the chapters of optics) to see the amazing similarities in the math with a corresponding problem in optics. Could it be just coincidence? (See next comment.) (f) Show that the deection angle is = 2(r i) , and that b = R sin i . (g) Show that b2 = R2 n2 sin2 (/2) . n2 2n cos(/2) + 1

(h) Show that the dierential cross section per unit solid angle is d R2 n2 (n cos(/2) 1) (n cos(/2) = . d 4 1 + n2 2n cos(/2) Comment: In this problem, the space behaves like two media with dierent indices of refraction (relative index equal to n) with the index of refraction being a measure of the potential energy. The path of the particle behaves like the light rays. Upon encountering the boundary of the two media, the ray (path of the particle) bends in response to the change of the index of refraction. Although in this problem is complete obvious, the analogy between optics and mechanics is quite deep and was emphasized by Hamilton. The Hamilton-Jacobi equation is a reection of this analogy. The Hamiltonian formulation of mechanics became so popular because of its optical analogy.

4. Lets start again with the hard-sphere potential: V (r ) = 0 , if r > R , , if r R .

In particular, lets focus outside the hard-spherewhere the potential is zero. What about if the hard sphere was a solid nucleus? We will now modify the above potential as follows: V (r ) =
r ,

if r > R ,

, if r R ,

where a > 0. In other words, in the Rutherford scattering we have assumed that the nucleus is not a point any more; instead it has a nite extend, it creates an 1/r potential outside it and behaves like a hard sphere when the -particles collide with it.

v0

Figure 1: The path of a particle inside a repulsive central force eld which is inversely proportional to r 2 for r > R and innite otherwise. Notice that the path is symmetric with respect the collision point. (Explain) We denote by the polar angle of the collision point. (a) Show that for all angles such that cr , with cot
2R mv0 cr = 2

2 2R , mv0

the dierential cross section per solid angle is exactly equal to that of the Rutherford scattering. The cr corresponds to an impact parameter bcr . Show that bcr = R 1 2 2R . mv0

b v0 0

Figure 2: Imagine the path of the particle in the case that the eld inside the sphere was also inversly proportional to r 2 . This is a hyperbola. As we did in class, let 0 be the polar angle of the point that is closest to the center. Then we denote by the angle 0 . (b) Show that for impact parameters b bcr , the deection angle is given by = 2 , with = 0 , and cos 0 =
2 mv0 2 mv0 2

b2 + , + b2 cos = R

R 2 mv0 2

. + b2

2 mv0

(c) Compute now the dierential cross section per solid angle. (You do not need to try to write down long expressions. Just show the most important relations that compute the quantity. Make sure that there are no cyclic arguments, undened quantities, etc.) Comment: This is an easy problem if you do each step slowly and carefully and make sure that you have understood completely the Rutherford scattering.