Question

Antihydrogen is the only antimatter element that has been produced in the laboratory, albeit just a few atoms at a time. Each antihydrogen atom consists of a positron in orbit around an antiproton and has the same atomic mass as hydrogen. If an antihydrogen atom collides with a hydrogen atom, they annihilate each other and create gamma radiation. Part A What minimum amount of energy is released in this process? Part B If this energy could be harnessed in a matter-antimatter automobile engine, how far could a car travel on 55 mg each of antihydrogen and hydrogen? At highway speeds, a typical automobile expends about 2.5×103J per meter.

Answer 1

part A)Using Einstein's mass-energy equivalence equation,

minimum amount of energy released, E = m*c^2

= 2*1.67*10^-27*(3*10^8)^2

= 3.01*10^-10 J <<<<<<<<<<-----------------Answer

part B) the amount of converted to energy, m = 2*55 mg

= 110 mg

= 110*10^-6 kg

Energy relased, E = m*c^2

= 110*10^-6*(3*10^8)^2

= 9.9*10^12 J

the distance the car could travel using this energy, d = 9.9*10^12/(2.5*10^3)

= 3.96*10^9 m (or) 3.96*10^6 km <<<<<<<<--------------Answer