Final answer:
Nuclear fission of uranium-235 produces many different elements due to mass being converted into energy, following Einstein's E=mc² equation. The fission process adheres to the conservation laws, with a slight loss in mass resulting in substantial energy release.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fission equations showing the production of many different elements, even though each reaction begins with uranium-235 and one neutron, can be explained by the conservation laws for nuclear reactions. The apparent violation of the conservation of mass and energy is addressed through Albert Einstein's famous equation E=mc², which shows that mass can be converted into energy. This is what happens during nuclear fission: the products weigh slightly less than the reactants because some of the mass is converted into a tremendous amount of energy.
When U-235 undergoes fission, about 0.2 grams less mass results in an energy release of approximately 1.8 × 10¹⁰ kJ per mole of U-235. This is an example of nuclear energy production, where a small amount of mass is turned into a large amount of energy, significantly more than that obtained from chemical reactions like burning coal. The fission products may be of different masses and compositions, which explains the variety of elements produced, but these products still follow the conservation laws, with neutron and proton numbers balancing out.