Final answer:
The comparision between an asteroid's kinetic energy and the energy produced by the Palo Verde nuclear power plant requires specific asteroid mass and velocity data. Nuclear processes generate significant energy as shown by fusing deuterium and tritium, and power plants like Palo Verde produce measurable mass loss over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
To evaluate whether the kinetic energy of an asteroid is greater than, less than, or about the same as the energy produced by the Palo Verde nuclear power plant, we need specific information about the asteroid's mass and velocity. Ideally, the calculation of the kinetic energy of an asteroid would involve using the formula: KE = 0.5 × m × v2, where m is mass and v is the velocity of the asteroid. Without this information, we cannot directly compare it to the 1.08 ×1016 J energy output of the Palo Verde nuclear power plant.
However, we are provided with a reference to the energy output from fusing 1.00 kg of deuterium and tritium, which is 3.37×1014 J. This is a significant amount of energy, but still less than the annual energy production of a nuclear power plant like Palo Verde. Regarding the mass loss due to nuclear reactions, which is related to the famous equation E = mc2, we are given an example that a nuclear power plant with 35% efficiency converting 1000 MW of electric power for a year would have a detectable mass loss if the total fuel mass is 104 kg.
Thus, a comprehensive analysis of the asteroid's kinetic energy requires its mass and velocity to directly compare it to the power output from nuclear plants or fission bombs. Without it, we can assert that nuclear processes, including the operation of a power plant like Palo Verde, yield large amounts of energy and even small amounts of mass in fission processes account for substantial energy production.