Energy Release in the Disintegration ofBe8

Thin beryllium targets were bombarded with 400-kev protons and the energy spectra of the particles given off at 90 degrees to the beam direction were observed with a cylindrical electrostatic analyzer. The beryllium was evaporated onto a nickel backing which was thin enough to confine the elastically scattered protons to a narrow energy range. At energies below that of the elastically scattered protons, peaks were observed in the energy spectra which corresponded to the maximum alpha-particle energy in the continuous energy distribution of alpha-particles resulting from the breakup of ${\mathrm{Be}}^8$. The position of these maxima give a value for the energy release in the disintegration of 77.5±4 kev.