Energy Relations in Artificial Disintegration

Extract

When certain elements are bombarded by swift α particles, protons or hydrogen nuclei are liberated which are attributed to the disintegration of the nuclei of these elements. It is now generally assumed that in such an artificial disintegration of an atomic nucleus an α particle is captured by the nucleus. Experimental evidence for this capture of an α particle has been obtained by Blackett in the case of the disintegration of the nitrogen nucleus. Blackett photographed eight disintegration collisions of an α particle with a nitrogen nucleus; in each of these the track of the α particle divided into two branches, one of which was due to the residual nucleus set in motion in the collision, and the other was due to the ejected proton. No trace of a third track to correspond to the track of the α particle after the collision was observed. Blackett therefore concluded that the α particle was captured by the nitrogen nucleus.