Question

If a star converts all the helium (He) nuclei completely into oxygen (O) nuclei, the energy released per oxygen nucleus is (mass of helium nucleus = 4.0026 amu and mass of oxygen nucleus = 15.9994 amu)

A. 11.99 MeV
B. 10.24 J
C. 10.24 MeV
D. −10.24 J

Answer 1

The energy released per oxygen nucleus during the conversion of helium to oxygen can be calculated using the equation E = mc^2. The energy released per oxygen nucleus is approximately 10.24 MeV. Therefore, the correct option is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The energy released per oxygen nucleus can be calculated by considering the conversion of mass to energy during the fusion of helium to oxygen. The mass lost in the reaction is 0.02862 u, which is 0.71% of the mass of the initial hydrogen. Assuming 1 kilogram of hydrogen is converted into helium, the energy released is given by the equation:

E = mc^2

The speed of light (c) is 3 × 10^8 meters per second. Plugging in the values, we can find the energy released per kilogram of hydrogen. Then, we can convert this value to find the energy released per mole of oxygen produced.

The energy released per oxygen nucleus is approximately 10.24 MeV (million electron volts), which corresponds to option C.