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How much mass is converted to energy when a proton and antiproton annihilate each other?

(a) mₚc²
(b) mₚc²
(c) 0.5mₚc²
(d) mₚc²

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

In the annihilation of a proton and an antiproton, the entire mass of both particles is converted into energy, corresponding to 2mπc2, which makes the correct choice (d) 2mπc2 for the given question.

Step-by-step explanation:

How Much Mass is Converted to Energy in Proton-Antiproton Annihilation?

When a proton and an antiproton annihilate each other, the entire mass of both particles is converted into energy. The mass of a proton is approximately 1.67x10-27 kg, and this is the same for an antiproton since they have equal but opposite properties. According to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc2, the energy produced by the annihilation of one proton-antiproton pair is calculated as follows:

• Total mass (m) = mass of proton (mπ) + mass of antiproton (mπ)

• Energy (E) = 2(mπ)c2

Therefore, the correct option in the final part of the provided choices is (d) 2mπc2 since both the proton and antiproton contribute their mass to the energy released upon annihilation.

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