Section 5.

7: Physics Journal
Section 5.7 Questions, page 257
1. A neutrino is a type of subatomic particle that does not carry a charge. Neutrinos were first
predicted by Wolfgang Pauli as a way to account for missing energy and momentum from the
radioactive decay of an atomic nucleus.
2. The body of scientific knowledge is constantly being adjusted to account for new discoveries.
When a scientific theory is proven false under certain conditions, it means that the theory needs
to be expanded to take the new discovery into account. It does not necessarily mean that the
theory needs to be thrown out altogether.
3. The electron neutrinos become muon and tau neutrinos before they reach the detectors. The
older detectors only counted electron neutrinos, so they did not count as many electron neutrinos
as the Sun produces.
4. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Yes, the knowledge we gain from studying neutrinos is
worth the environmental impact. The knowledge gained from the study may offset the harm done
to the environment by the detectors.

Copyright © 2012 Nelson Education Ltd. Chapter 5: Momentum and Collisions 5.7-1