Question

Consider the possibility that a neutron could decay into a proton and a pion. What, if any, of the following conservation laws would this process violate? A) conservation of energy B) conservation of lepton number C) conservation of baryon number D) conservation of charge E) None of the above laws would be violated.

Answer 1

The decay of a neutron into a proton and a pion violates the conservation of baryon number.

Step-by-step explanation:

The decay of a neutron into a proton and a pion would violate the conservation of baryon number. Baryon number conservation requires that the total baryon number of a reaction is the same before and after the reaction occurs. In this case, the neutron has a baryon number of +1, while the proton and pion each have a baryon number of 0. Therefore, the decay process violates the conservation of baryon number.

Answer 2

The decay of a neutron into a proton and a pion violates the conservation of baryon number.

Step-by-step explanation:

The decay of a neutron into a proton and a pion would violate the conservation of baryon number. The law of baryon number conservation states that the total baryon number of a reaction must remain the same before and after the reaction occurs. In this case, the neutron has a baryon number of +1, while the proton and pion both have a baryon number of 0. Therefore, the decay cannot occur because the total baryon number changes.