ASNT Industrial Radiography Radiation Safety Practice Test

What assertion is true about matter in relation to energy?

1. It can only be converted into energy under specific conditions.

2. It cannot be converted into energy.

3. It can be turned into energy.

4. Only certain types of matter can turn into energy.

The correct answer is: It can be turned into energy.

Matter can indeed be transformed into energy, which is a principle rooted in the theory of relativity proposed by Albert Einstein. The famous equation E=mc² highlights the relationship between mass (matter) and energy, indicating that any amount of mass can be converted into energy, and vice versa, under the right conditions. This transformation occurs in various processes, such as nuclear reactions, where small amounts of matter are converted into vast amounts of energy. Understanding this conversion is crucial in fields like nuclear physics, where both matter and energy interplay in significant ways. Although certain conditions must be present for this transformation to occur (such as in high-energy environments), the fundamental assertion that matter can be converted into energy stands true.