Question

How does nuclear fission differ from nuclear fusion? Why are both of these processes exothermic?

a) Fission splits heavy nuclei; fusion combines light nuclei. Both release energy due to nuclear forces.
b) Fission combines light nuclei; fusion splits heavy nuclei. Both release energy due to electromagnetic forces.
c) Fission splits heavy nuclei; fusion combines light nuclei. Both release energy due to electromagnetic forces.
d) Fission combines light nuclei; fusion splits heavy nuclei. Both release energy due to nuclear forces.

Answer 1

Nuclear fusion is the fusing of smaller atoms into a larger one, while nuclear fission is the splitting of an atom. Both reactions release energy because mass is converted into energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission are two different types of energy-releasing reactions in which energy is released from high-powered atomic bonds within the nucleus.

The main difference between these two processes is that fission is the splitting of an atom into two or more smaller ones while fusion is the fusing of two or more smaller atoms into a larger one.

Both nuclear fusion and fission reactions are exothermic, meaning they release energy. This is because the total mass of the products of the reaction is less than the total mass of the reactants. The difference in mass is converted into energy according to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.