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The origin of the Sun's energy is the conversion of hydrogen to helium - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 11 - 2003 - Paper 1
Question 11
The origin of the Sun's energy is the conversion of hydrogen to helium. $$ ^4H \rightarrow ^4He $$ The relative isotopic mass of $$ ^4He $$ is 4.00260. However, th... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The origin of the Sun's energy is the conversion of hydrogen to helium - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 11 - 2003 - Paper 1
Step 1
a measure of the energy absorbed when four $$ ^1H $$ are converted to one $$ ^4He $$
Answer
This option suggests that energy is absorbed during the process of fusion. However, the process of conversion of hydrogen to helium in the sun is a fusion reaction that releases energy rather than absorbs it.
Step 2
due to the loss of two electrons when four $$ ^1H $$ are converted to one $$ ^4He $$
Answer
Although the formation of helium involves interactions where protons combine, the specific mass deficit observed is not simply due to the loss of electrons. This suggests that the option does not capture the essence of mass-energy equivalence in fusion.
Step 3
Step 4
equal to the mass of the two positrons produced when four $$ ^1H $$ are converted to one $$ ^4He $$
Answer
While positrons are produced in the fusion process, the mass difference represents the total energy released, which includes contributions from other factors. Thus, this option is not entirely accurate.