Has it been observed? Is it just theoretical? Is it one of those simple-but-profound things?
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Mass is made up of atoms that have neutrons, protons and electrons. The elements all have a specific number of protons when you add protons it is fusion when you remove them it is fission.
The protons have an amount of energy that holds them together, while they are together this energy is stored as mass. Adding protons to anything with less protons than iron means it needs less energy to hold together so it releases what it was storing. If you remove protons from anything above iron it also releases the stored energy.
Iron for some reason has the highest binding energy so once you are there you need to put energy in to add or remove protons.
PS. This is why when spider-man drags the mini Sun away from the iron and dumps it in the lake I scream at the tv
Mass is made up of atoms that have neutrons, protons and electrons. The elements all have a specific number of protons when you add protons it is fusion when you remove them it is fission.
The protons have an amount of energy that holds them together, while they are together this energy is stored as mass. Adding protons to anything with less protons than iron means it needs less energy to hold together so it releases what it was storing. If you remove protons from anything above iron it also releases the stored energy.
Iron for some reason has the highest binding energy so once you are there you need to put energy in to add or remove protons.
PS. This is why when spider-man drags the mini Sun away from the iron and dumps it in the lake I scream at the tv
Energy can spontaneously change into mass. There are nuclear and radiation related processes where this can occur.
A good example is “pair production”. A photon, if it has sufficient energy, can convert into a pair of an electron and positron. The photon needs to have enough energy to cover the energy-mass conversion and nay excess goes into kinetic energy of the particles. Ote that this doesn’t happen spontaneously, it requires the photon to pass extremely close to an atonic nucleus where there is a very strong electromagnetic field, which can trigger the conversion.
Similar, but more complex process can occur at even higher energies.
Energy can spontaneously change into mass. There are nuclear and radiation related processes where this can occur.
A good example is “pair production”. A photon, if it has sufficient energy, can convert into a pair of an electron and positron. The photon needs to have enough energy to cover the energy-mass conversion and nay excess goes into kinetic energy of the particles. Ote that this doesn’t happen spontaneously, it requires the photon to pass extremely close to an atonic nucleus where there is a very strong electromagnetic field, which can trigger the conversion.
Similar, but more complex process can occur at even higher energies.
Sunshine can be converted to flowers. Nicht wahr?
Sunshine can be converted to flowers. Nicht wahr?
Fun and slightly tangential fact: Proton mass is not absolute and does vary (veeery slightly) depending on the element. The closer it comes to iron, the more stable it becomes and the lighter it becomes as it sheds mass into energy. Heavier elements that decay towards being a proton shed some of that mass into energy, and lighter elements that fuse release mass into energy
As it been observed? Take a look around. Everything you see used to be energy. You included.
Fun and slightly tangential fact: Proton mass is not absolute and does vary (veeery slightly) depending on the element. The closer it comes to iron, the more stable it becomes and the lighter it becomes as it sheds mass into energy. Heavier elements that decay towards being a proton shed some of that mass into energy, and lighter elements that fuse release mass into energy
As it been observed? Take a look around. Everything you see used to be energy. You included.
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