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IB Physics HL E 3 9 Neutrinos and Antineutrinos Questions

Identify HL neutrinos and antineutrinos in beta decay, using charge, particle type and Feynman-diagram evidence.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Course
Physics HL
Level
HL

Exam points

  • identify the neutrino or antineutrino emitted in beta-minus and beta-plus decay and state its charge
  • distinguish electron, positron, neutrino and antineutrino products in nuclear-decay questions
  • complete labelled beta-decay or Feynman diagrams with the correct particle and arrow direction while conserving charge and lepton number

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Study E.3.9—Neutrinos and antineutrinos conceptsOpen the corresponding Concept lesson for explanations, examples and exam connections.

IB Physics HL E 3 9 Neutrinos and Antineutrinos Questions question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

Magnesium-27 nuclei (1227Mg)\left({ }_{12}^{27} \mathrm{Mg}\right) decay by beta-minus (β−)\left(\beta^{-}\right)decay to form nuclei of aluminium-27 (Al).

A Magnesium-27 nucleus can decay by one of two routes:

Route 1: 70\% of the beta particles are emitted with a maximum kinetic energy of 1.76656 MeV , accompanied by a gamma photon of energy 0.84376 MeV .

Route 2: 30 % of the beta particles have a maximum kinetic energy of 1.59587 MeV with a gamma photon of energy 1.01445 MeV .

The final state of the aluminium-27 nucleus is the same for both routes.

Calculate the difference between the magnitudes of the total energy transfers in parts (a) and (b).
(ii) Explain how the difference in part (b)(ii) arises.

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