Question

which statement correctly describes mass - energy equivalence? all energy in the universe will be converted to an equivalent amount of mass. mass can decrease in nuclear changes without the production of energy. all energy in the universe is a result of mass being converted into energy. a large amount of mass is equivalent to a small amount of energy.

Explanation:

• Option 1: The universe has both mass and energy, not all energy converting to mass.
• Option 2: In nuclear changes (like fission/fusion), mass decrease is accompanied by energy production ($E = mc^{2}$).
• Option 3: This aligns with the concept of mass - energy equivalence ($E = mc^{2}$), where mass can be converted to energy and vice - versa.
• Option 4: From $E = mc^{2}$ ($c = 3\times10^{8}\ m/s$), a small amount of mass is equivalent to a large amount of energy.

Answer:

All energy in the universe is a result of mass being converted into energy.