In a particle accelerator, you accelerate an electron. Afterwards, you measure it's energy to be 350 keV. Tell my why you can't find the speed from this energy using your knowledge of classical mechanics.

In order to see what the problem is, I will attempt to find this speed. 350keV=5.6110-14 J Ek=1/2 * mv2 =>  v=sqrt(2Ek/m) By plugging in numbers, we find that the velocity of the electron, v=3.51108. This velocity is bigger then the speed of light c=3108, and it is a known fact that nothing can travel faster than light. This means that relativistic effects must've taken place, which prevented the particle from reaching the speed of light, but allowed it to have such a high energy.

CP
Answered by Cezar P. Physics tutor

2250 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

A cannon is fired at 30 degrees from the ground and the cannonball has initial velocity of 15 m/s. What is the height of the highest point the cannonball reaches and how far is this point horizontally from the cannon?


Can you jump a motorcycle into space?


State Lenz's law and hence describe and explain what happens to a magnet travelling through a metal tube


What is a neutrino?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning