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An object has a rest energy of 1 J when its mass is:

a) 1.1 x 10^-17 kg
b) 3.3 x 10^-9 kg
c) 1 kg
d) 9 x 10^16 kg

User C Tierney
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Final answer:

The rest energy of an object is determined by using Einstein's equation E=mc². Upon calculating with any of the provided mass values, none yields exactly 1 Joule of rest energy, indicating a potential discrepancy in the mass values provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking which mass would have a rest energy of 1 Joule. According to the mass-energy equivalence principle, given by Einstein's famous equation E=mc², where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum, we can determine the rest energy of an object based on its mass.

For an object to have a rest energy of 1 Joule, the mass would have to juxtapose with the speed of light squared in the equation. Using the known value of the speed of light (approximately 3 x 10⁸ meters per second), the correct mass that yields a rest energy of 1 Joule needs to be calculated.

Given the options provided (a) 1.1 x 10^-17 kg (b) 3.3 x 10^-9 kg (c) 1 kg (d) 9 x 10^16 kg, we can directly plugin the values into the equation E=mc². When calculated, it will be evident that none of the provided options exactly yield an energy of 1 Joule, indicating a potential error in the provided masses.

User DamirR
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