Many science-fiction stories assume that in the future, humanity will use anti-matter as a source of energy. Assume that in some future power plant, a gram of matter is annihilated by a gram of anti-matter. How long would the energy released power a city that uses 109 watts of power?
A)40 hrs
B)25 hrs
C)50 hrs
D)65 hrs
E)50 000 hrs

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy released from the annihilation of 1 gram of matter and 1 gram of anti-matter is calculated using E=mc². This results in approximately 1.8 x 10^14 joules. Dividing this by the power usage of the city (10^9 watts), the energy would last for about 50 hours.

Many Science-Fiction Stories Assume That in the Future, Humanity Will