Question

Another component of the strong nuclear force is transmitted by the exchange of virtual K-mesons. Taking K-mesons to have an average mass of 495 MeV/c², what is the approximate range of this component of the strong force?

a) 2.42×10-¹⁵m
b) 3.64×10-¹⁵m
c) 4.86×10-¹⁵m
d) 6.08×10-¹⁵m

Answer 1

The approximate range of the component of the strong nuclear force transmitted by the exchange of virtual K-mesons is 6.08×10-15 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The range of the component of the strong nuclear force transmitted by the exchange of virtual K-mesons can be estimated using the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. The shorter the range, the larger the mass of the carrier particle. Given that the average mass of K-mesons is 495 MeV/c², the approximate range of this component of the strong force is 6.08×10-15 meters (option d).