Binding energy of the triton

Abstract

The variation method is employed to calculate the binding energy of the triton assuming charge-independent, two-body, Yukawa shape interactions between nucleons in which tensor forces are included. More complete trial wave functions are used than employed hitherto in such calculations, and it is found that an interaction of Yukawa shape with constants adjusted to fit the observed data on the binding energy, quadrupole moment and magnetic moment of the deuteron, the low-energy and high-energy scattering of neutrons by protons, the photodisintegration of the deuteron and the coherent scattering of slow neutrons gives an approximately correct binding energy for the triton. Calculations are also carried out with interactions of the same type but with different constants. The exchange character of the forces remains unimportant. It is confirmed that the difference in the binding energies of 3 H and 3 He can be ascribed to the effect of Coulomb repulsion between the protons in the latter nucleus. The wave functions found are used to compute the magnetic moments of the two nuclei but do not contain sufficient admixture of P component to explain the observed values.