Final answer:
The separation between a neutron, proton, and alpha particle in a uniform magnetic field with equal energy will increase as the charged particles (proton and alpha particle) follow distinct helical paths and the neutron moves in a straight line.OPTION C.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a neutron, a proton, and an alpha particle are projected together in a uniform magnetic field with equal energy, their separation will change in characteristic ways. Neutrons, having no charge, are not affected by the magnetic field and move in a straight line. On the other hand, protons and alpha particles, both of which are charged, will follow helical paths due to the magnetic force acting perpendicular to their velocity. Since alpha particles contain more mass (two protons and two neutrons), they will have a larger radius of curvature compared to protons when projected with the same energy in a magnetic field.
Therefore, the separation between the neutron, proton, and alpha particle will continuously increase, because while the neutron moves in a straight line, the proton and alpha particle follow different helical paths due to their different charge-to-mass ratios. They move apart following distinct trajectories, with the proton having a smaller helical pitch and the alpha particle having a larger one.