What physical principle explains the substantial energy released when a nucleus transitions to a lower energy configuration?
Answer
Conversion of mass into energy ($E=mc^2$)
The energy released during radioactive decay results from the conversion of the slight difference in mass between the initial and final systems directly into kinetic energy of emitted particles and gamma rays, as described by Einstein's equation.
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Stable and Unstable Nuclei | Radioactivity | Physics | FuseSchool
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