Question

What does the small speed tell us about the mass of a proton compared to even a tiny amount of macroscopic matter?

a) Proton mass is much greater.
b) Proton mass is slightly greater.
c) Proton mass is equal.
d) Proton mass is smaller.

Answer 1

The small speed required of a macroscopic particle to have momentum equivalent to a fast-moving proton indicates that the proton's mass is significantly smaller than that of the macroscopic matter.

Step-by-step explanation:

The small speed suggests that the mass of a proton is substantially smaller than that of even a tiny amount of macroscopic matter. To elaborate, when considering momentum equality between a proton and a dust particle, the vastly greater speed required for the proton to match the momentum of a much slower-moving dust particle highlights the proton's much smaller mass. Additionally, it's worth noting that even though both objects may have the same momentum, their masses are drastically different, as momentum is the product of mass and velocity (p = mv).