Tritium, the 3H atom, consists of a nucleus of one proton and two neutrons with a single electron. It is unstable and decays via beta emission to singly ionized helium, 3 He , consisting of a nucleus of two protons and one neutron with a single electron. This decay takes place instantaneously and thus there occurs a sudden doubling of the Coulomb interaction between the atomic electron and the nucleus. If the tritium atom is in its ground state when it decays, determine the probability that the 3He atom is in its ground state immediately after the decay. Required:
Determine the probability that the 3H^+ atom is in its ground state immediately after decay.