Question

Approximately 10000 anti-protons were synthesized and stored in a magnetic containment device at a particle accelerator facility. Due to the containment failure, the amount of antimatter annihilated completely. Calculate the energy that was release ( in Jules) as the result of this nuclear annihilation reaction.

Hint: The annihilation energy can be calculated using Einsten's most famous equation: E=MC2

where E is the energy, is the mass of matter- antimatter in the reaction, and c is the speed of light.

Answer 1

10000 antiproton will annihilate 10000 protons.

Mass of 1 proton = mass of 1 anti-proton = 1.00727647 amu

Therefore total mass in the annihilation reaction = (10000 + 10000) x 1.00727647 amu

                                                                             = 20000 x 1.00727647 amu

                                                                             = 20145.5294 amu

Now, 1 amu = 1.66 x 10^-27 kg

Therefore total mass in the annihilation reaction (m) = 20145.5294 x 1.66 x 10^-27 kg

Energy released in the annihilation reaction = mc²                      (c = speed of light in vacuum)

                                                                      = 20145.5294 x 1.66 x 10^-27 x (3 x 10⁸)²

                                                                      = 300974.209236 x 10^-11

                                                                            3.01 x 10^-6 J