Final answer:
The products of a nuclear fusion reaction are heavier atoms, energy, and sometimes additional particles such as neutrons or protons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The products of a nuclear fusion reaction typically include heavier atoms, energy, and sometimes particles like neutrons or protons. For instance, when hydrogen nuclei fuse in the sun, they form a more massive helium nucleus and release a tremendous amount of energy. This is evident in reactions such as the proton-proton cycle and the CNO cycle, which are responsible for the sun's energy output.
During the fusion process, not only are new, heavier atomic nuclei created but in some reactions, particles such as neutrons or protons are also emitted alongside the release of energy. For example, in one of the fusion reactions 2H + 3H → 4He + n, a neutron is released, and in the proton-proton cycle 1H + 1H → 2H + e+ + ve, positrons and neutrinos are released in addition to the heavier helium nucleus.