The Unreasonable Efficiency of Black Holes

The video explores the concept of mass-energy equivalence, illustrating how mass can be converted into energy. It discusses the inefficiency of chemical and nuclear reactions in energy extraction compared to antimatter and black holes. Antimatter offers 100% efficiency but is impractical due to scarcity. Black holes, especially rotating ones, provide a more feasible method, converting up to 42% of mass into energy. The video explains how accretion disks around black holes facilitate this conversion, making them the most efficient known method for mass-energy conversion.

What is the main reason antimatter is not a practical choice for energy generation?

• It requires special storage conditions.

• There is almost no naturally occurring antimatter.

• It is highly unstable.

• It is too expensive to produce.

Why are chemical reactions considered inefficient for converting mass into energy?

• They require a lot of energy to initiate.

• They produce harmful byproducts.

• They convert a negligible amount of mass into energy.

• They are too slow to be practical.

How much of uranium's mass is converted into energy during nuclear fission?

• 0.08%

• 0.7%

• 6%

• 40.2%

What is the primary factor that allows black holes to extract energy from mass?

• Their high temperature.

• Their immense size.

• The presence of antimatter.

• The strong gravitational field.

What happens to the energy of an object that falls into a black hole?

• It is released as sound waves.

• It is trapped inside the black hole.

• It is converted into light.

• It is completely lost.

How much mass can be converted into energy by a non-rotating black hole?

• 0.08%

• 0.7%

• 6%

• 40.2%

What is the maximum efficiency of mass-energy conversion for a rotating black hole?

• 6%

• 0.7%

• 40.2%

• 0.08%