When Two Protons and Two Neutrons Combine to Form ⁴He

question 239

Multiple Choice

When two protons and two neutrons combine to form ⁴He, the helium nucleus is less massive than the sum of the four original particles used to construct it. What is the significance of this result?

• A) The lost mass is transformed into energy.
• B) The mass is lost through friction.
• C) The lost mass can be accounted for by the masses of the particles emitted as radioactive decay during the interaction.
• D) The mass disappears without a trace.

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Definitions:

Exponential Decay

A decrease in quantity that occurs at a rate proportional to the current total, often seen in contexts like radioactive decay.

Arithmetic Operations

Core math processes involving plus, minus, times, and divided by.

Percentage Calculation

The process of determining the portion or fraction of a whole that is represented by a specific number, often used in financial and statistical analyses.

Financial Calculation

The process of applying mathematical methods and formulas to analyze or predict financial outcomes.