Final answer:
When traveling at the same speed, a proton will have a higher kinetic energy than an electron due to its significantly larger mass. The kinetic energy is dependent on both the mass and the speed of the particle.
Step-by-step explanation:
If two particles are traveling at the same speed, the particle with the higher mass will have the greater kinetic energy. The kinetic energy (KE) of a moving object is calculated using the formula KE = 1/2 mv2 where m is the mass and v is the velocity of the object. Given an electron (mass = 9.11 × 10−31 kg) and a proton (mass = 1.67 × 10−27 kg), if both particles are traveling at a speed of 5.0 × 106 m/s, you can calculate their kinetic energies.
For the electron: KE = 1/2 (9.11 × 10−31 kg) (5.0 × 106 m/s)2
And for the proton: KE = 1/2 (1.67 × 10−27 kg) (5.0 × 106 m/s)2
Since the proton has a much greater mass than the electron, the proton will have a significantly higher kinetic energy when both are traveling at the same speed. Hence, a proton would have the highest kinetic energy among the two.