Final answer:
To calculate the work required to accelerate a proton, we can use the work-energy principle and the relativistic kinetic energy formula.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to calculate the amount of work required to accelerate a proton from rest to a speed of 0.54 c, we can use the work-energy principle. The work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy. The formula for calculating work is given by: Work = (Change in kinetic energy) = (Final Kinetic Energy) - (Initial Kinetic Energy).
Given that the proton starts from rest, its initial kinetic energy is zero. The final kinetic energy can be calculated using the relativistic kinetic energy formula: Kinetic Energy = (gamma - 1)mc^2 where gamma (γ) is the Lorentz factor and c is the speed of light.
Substituting the values into the formulas, we can calculate the final kinetic energy and then the amount of work required to accomplish this.