IceCube Neutrino AS Physics Challenge

Exam Studio is just one part of PhysicsUK membership.

More Physics toolsPhysicsUK Solve, QWC, MCQ and Worksheet Studio give you different ways to practise.

Saved progressKeep your answers, feedback and markbook evidence together across your course.

Personalised next stepsSee the topic or skill PhysicsUK recommends from your recent work.

Question

8 marks

Answer all parts. A muon neutrino can interact in ice and produce a charged muon. The muon can emit light if it moves faster than light travels in the ice. This does not require its speed to exceed the vacuum speed of light. No knowledge of IceCube construction or Nobel winners is needed.

1(a)

State the electric charge of a muon neutrino and name its particle family.

[2 marks]

1(b)

For the light considered, take the refractive index of ice to be

1.33

. Use the vacuum speed of light

c = 3.00 \times 1 0^{8} m s^{- 1}

. A muon travels through the ice at

2.80 \times 1 0^{8} m s^{- 1}

. Calculate the speed of light in this ice. Use your answer to explain whether the muon satisfies the light-emission condition given in the instructions without exceeding the vacuum speed limit. Use:

v_{light} = \frac{c}{n}

[3 marks]

1(c)

Consider this supplied interaction with a neutron:

ν_{μ} + n \to μ^{-} + p

Here

ν_{μ}

is a muon neutrino,

n

is a neutron,

μ^{-}

is a negative muon and

p

is a proton. Show that electric charge, baryon number and muon lepton number are each conserved. State the total before and after for each quantity.

[3 marks]

Start the question to write your answer, receive marks and ask Sherlock Ohms for text help.