What would the energy be if an alpha particle's mass disappeared and was completely converted to energy?
e = m c^2
alpha particle = He nucleus (two protons, two neutrons)
= 6.64*10 −27 kg approximately
c = 3*10^8 m/s approximately
To calculate the energy if an alpha particle's mass disappeared and was completely converted to energy, you can use Einstein's famous equation:
E = mc^2
Where:
E represents the energy
m represents the mass
c represents the speed of light (approximately 3 x 10^8 meters per second)
In this case, an alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons, with a total mass of approximately 4 atomic mass units (amu). We can convert this mass into kilograms by using the conversion factor that 1 amu is equivalent to 1.67 x 10^-27 kilograms.
Mass of the alpha particle, m = 4 amu * (1.67 x 10^-27 kg/amu) = 6.68 x 10^-27 kg
Now, we can substitute the values into the equation:
E = (6.68 x 10^-27 kg) * (3 x 10^8 m/s)^2
E = 6.01 x 10^-10 joules
Therefore, if an alpha particle's mass disappeared and was completely converted to energy, the energy generated would be approximately 6.01 x 10^-10 joules.