A megaton explosion releases 4.2 × 10¹⁵ J of energy. Approximately how much mass is converted into energy in this process? A) None, if it is the result of a chemical reaction. B) None, since mass is conserved. C) 50 kg D) 50 g E) 10⁹ kg

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle, E=mc², where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light (approximately 3 × 10⁸ m/s), we can calculate the mass converted to energy. For 4.2 × 10¹⁵ J, m = E/c² = 4.2 × 10¹⁵ J / (9 × 10¹⁶ m²/s²) ≈ 0.0467 kg, which is approximately 50 g.

A Megaton Explosion Releases 4