Unit Test

Question 19 • Summer 2024 ATA MI-Environmental Science CR Sem 1

How is mass-energy equivalence demonstrated in the Sun?

Answer

Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form a larger nucleus, and a small amount of mass is converted into energy.

Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form a larger nucleus by absorbing a large amount of energy and converting it into a small amount of mass.

Hydrogen nuclei form from smaller nuclei, and a small amount of mass is converted into energy.

Hydrogen nuclei form from smaller nuclei by absorbing a large amount of energy and converting it into a small amount of mass.

Explanation

In the Sun, hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium nuclei. The resulting nucleus has slightly less mass than the original hydrogen nuclei combined; that missing mass is released as energy, as described by E = mc². Therefore, the correct choice is A: hydrogen nuclei fuse to form a larger nucleus, and a small amount of mass is converted into energy.

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