GS exam mistake

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crazyasian

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I took a GS exam, and this question seems kinda sketchy, to me i'm wondering what the answer is. The question goes:

The transmutation of 238U to Np involves the formation of a compound nucleus of 239U. What type of energy transfer is this?

The equation for the transmutation is:
23892U + 10n → 23993Np + β- + ¯v

And the possible answers are:
Mass to electrical
Mass to potential
Kinetic to mass
Potential to kinetic

The answer is kinetic to mass. My question is how can kinetic energy be converted to mass?
 
I took a GS exam, and this question seems kinda sketchy, to me i'm wondering what the answer is. The question goes:

The transmutation of 238U to Np involves the formation of a compound nucleus of 239U. What type of energy transfer is this?

The equation for the transmutation is:
23892U + 10n → 23993Np + β- + ¯v

And the possible answers are:
Mass to electrical
Mass to potential
Kinetic to mass
Potential to kinetic

The answer is kinetic to mass. My question is how can kinetic energy be converted to mass?

I agree that the question is strange, and that the answer choice worded even stranger! but what they are trying to say is that the 10n are sped up (particle accelerater) to tremendous velocities (high kinetic energy), then they colide with a nucleus and fuse with them forming strong forces and thus creating a new atom of higher Mass! I believe thats what they mean by that answer choice!
 
I can understand that reasoning. Wow I would never have been able to come up with that. Thanks! I hope nothing like this is on my upcoming mcat :/
 
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