Do Photons Contribute to the Energy Released in Nuclear Explosions?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the role of photons in the energy released during nuclear explosions. It is established that while photons possess no rest mass, they contribute to the energy output of a nuclear explosion due to their mass equivalency in the context of mass-energy conservation. The conversation references a potential new heavy particle at 750 GeV and emphasizes that the energy released in nuclear reactions includes the energy carried away by photons, which are produced during the explosion.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²)
  • Basic knowledge of nuclear physics and reactions
  • Familiarity with particle physics concepts, specifically photons
  • Awareness of the Large Hadron Collider and its findings
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of mass-energy equivalence in nuclear reactions
  • Explore the properties and behavior of photons in high-energy physics
  • Investigate the significance of the 750 GeV particle discovery at the Large Hadron Collider
  • Study the principles of energy conservation in nuclear explosions
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, nuclear engineers, and students of particle physics interested in the relationship between photons and energy release in nuclear reactions.

thetexan
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I'm reading about the interesting data that suggests a new heavy particle about 750 GeV. It talks about the energy being the mass times the velocity of light squared and is indicated by the two photons as the particles decay.

I guess it's the same with this and a nuclear explosion which brought up this question as to energy released...

In the case of a nuclear explosion...when the explosion takes place and the energy is released do the photons released (very bright explosion) account for any of the calculated energy? Since photons have no mass are they considered part of the energy released when calculating it?

tex
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Could you cite the article you are reading?

Photons have no rest mass. That doesn't mean they have no mass equivalency.
So, yes, during a nuclear explosion, a great deal of the mass is converted to energy in the form of photon - thus preserving mass/energy conservation.
 

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