Final answer:
The speed of the proton after being accelerated through a potential difference of -800 V is approximately 1.46 x 10^8 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
The speed of a proton can be found using the equation:
Kinetic energy = (1/2)mv^2
Since the proton is accelerated from rest, its initial kinetic energy is zero. The potential difference (-800 V) can be converted to energy in electron volts (eV) using the conversion factor 1 eV = 1.6 x 10^-19 J:
-800 V x (1eV / 1 V) = -800 eV
The proton gains 1 eV of energy for each volt across the gap. Therefore, the proton gains -800 eV of energy. To find the final speed of the proton, we can equate the kinetic energy gained to the kinetic energy equation:
-800 eV = (1/2)mv^2
Solving for v, we can rearrange the equation:
v = sqrt((-1600 eV) / m)
Given the mass of a proton is approximately 1.67 x 10^-27 kg, substituting the values into the equation:
v = sqrt((-1600 eV) / (1.67 x 10^-27 kg))
v ≈ 1.46 x 10^8 m/s