Tritium (³H) decays to ³He releasing 18.6 keV of energy. How much mass is converted into energy during this process? A) 2.07 × 10^-13 kg B) 2.07 × 10^-10 kg C) 2.07 × 10^-16 kg D) 3.31 × 10^-29 kg E) 3.31 × 10^-32 kg

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass-energy equivalence formula is E = mc^2. We need to find the mass that was converted into energy, so we rearrange the formula to m = E/c^2. The energy released during the Tritium decay is 18.6 keV, or 18.6 * 10^-3 * 1.602 * 10^-19 J (converting to SI units). The speed of light is 2.998 * 10^8 m/s, so c^2 is (2.998 * 10^8)^2 = 8.988 * 10^16 m^2/s^2. Plugging in these values, we get:

m = (18.6 * 10^-3 * 1.602 * 10^-19)/(8.988 * 10^16)
m = 3.31 * 10^-32 kg

Therefore, the answer is E) 3.31 × 10^-32 kg.

Tritium (3H) Decays to 3He Releasing 18

Tritium (³H) Decays to ³He Releasing 18