Question

Which statement describes the total mass of the nucleus formed in the fusion reaction shown?

a. some of the mass is converted into energy during the process.
b. the final product is energy, and there is no mass remaining.
c. the mass of the final nucleus is greater than the combined masses of the initial nuclei.
d. the mass is conserved and does not change during the process.

Answer 1

The mass of the final nucleus in a fusion reaction is greater than the combined masses of the initial nuclei. When two light nuclei combine, the resulting heavier nucleus has less mass per nucleon, resulting in a greater total mass due to the release of energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement is c. The mass of the final nucleus is greater than the combined masses of the initial nuclei.

In a nuclear fusion reaction, two light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. This process releases energy because the binding energy per nucleon is greater for the product nuclei. The larger binding energy per nucleon means that there is less mass per nucleon in the final nucleus, resulting in a greater total mass.

For example, in the fusion reaction between hydrogen nuclei to form helium in the Sun, the mass of the helium nucleus is slightly less than the combined masses of the two hydrogen nuclei, and the mass difference is converted into energy.