Find the rest energy in joules and MeV of a proton, given its mass is $1.67\times 10^{-27}\text{ kg}$.

Video Transcript

This is College Physics Answers with Shaun Dychko. We are going to find the rest energy in joules and megaelectron volts of a proton given its rest mass of 1.67 times 10 to the minus 27 kilograms. So the rest energy is its rest mass times the speed of light squared so there is its rest mass times 2.998 times 10 to the 8 meters per second and we square that and this is 1.50 times 10 to the minus 10 joules. Then we multiply that energy in joules by 1 electron volt for every 1.602 times 10 to the minus 19 joules and we get an answer in electron volts and this is 937 megaelectron volts.