eXmag said:Homework Statement
An unknown amount of mass lost from a fusion reaction is converted to energy. Determine the amount of mass equal to 17.6 MeV of energy.
Homework Equations
E=mc2?
The Attempt at a Solution
17.6=m(931.5)
m=0.01889u
Not sure if this is correct
rude man said:Where did "931.5" come from? √(931.5) = 30.52, I don't recognize this as being c ...
Dick said:931.5 MeV is the rest energy of 1 amu of mass. The 'attempt at a solution' wasn't very well explained. To say the least.
rude man said:Yeah, so looks like E = mc2 is irrelevant & we have just a ratio of energies and finding out how many gm to 1 a.m.u.?
The concept of mass to energy equivalence is based on Albert Einstein's famous equation, E=mc², which states that mass and energy are interchangeable and can be converted from one form to the other.
Mass can be converted to energy through nuclear reactions, which involve the splitting of atoms or the fusion of atoms to release large amounts of energy. This process is used in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.
According to Einstein's equation, any amount of mass can theoretically be converted to energy. However, the amount of energy produced is directly proportional to the mass being converted. This means that a large amount of mass is required to produce a significant amount of energy.
The practical applications of mass to energy equivalence include nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and medical applications such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Additionally, this concept is used in understanding the processes that occur in stars and other celestial bodies.
Yes, the conversion of mass to energy is reversible. Energy can be converted back into mass through the process of pair production, where high-energy photons (particles of light) are converted into matter and antimatter particles.