Question

During an atomic explosion, the energy released is due to:

• A. Conversion of mass into energy
• B. Conversion of protons to neutrons
• C. Conversion of chemical energy into heat
• D. Conversion of mechanical energy

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Conversion of mass into energy

Answer 2

An atomic explosion is a nuclear phenomenon, primarily involving nuclear fission (splitting of heavy atomic nuclei) or nuclear fusion (combining of light atomic nuclei). In both processes, the total mass of the products is slightly less than the total mass of the reactants. This difference in mass, known as the mass defect, is converted into a colossal amount of energy according to Albert Einstein's famous mass-energy equivalence relation:

$E = mc^2$

where:

• $E$ is the energy released
• $m$ is the mass defect (the mass converted into energy)
• $c$ is the speed of light in a vacuum (a very large constant, $3 \times 10^8$ m/s)

This equation shows that even a tiny amount of mass converted ($m$) results in an enormous amount of energy ($E$) due to the squaring of the speed of light. This is the fundamental principle behind the immense energy release in atomic explosions.

The other options are incorrect:

• Conversion of protons to neutrons: While such transformations can occur in nuclear reactions, they are not the primary mechanism for the bulk energy release. The energy comes from the overall change in nuclear binding energy, which manifests as a mass defect.
• Conversion of chemical energy into heat: This describes chemical explosions (e.g., dynamite), where energy is released by breaking and forming chemical bonds. Nuclear energy is vastly greater than chemical energy.
• Conversion of mechanical energy: Mechanical energy is associated with motion and position. While an explosion generates mechanical energy (blast waves), it is a result of the energy release, not the source of the energy.