Final answer:
In a nuclear fusion reaction, when hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3 combine to form helium-4 and a neutron, a certain amount of energy is released. The exact amount of energy released can be calculated using the equation E = mc^2, where E is the energy, m is the change in mass, and c is the speed of light.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a nuclear fusion reaction, when hydrogen-2 (deuterium) and hydrogen-3 (tritium) combine to form helium-4 and a neutron, a certain amount of energy is released. The exact amount of energy released can be calculated using the equation E = mc2, where E is the energy, m is the change in mass, and c is the speed of light.
Based on the given information, we can calculate the change in mass by subtracting the mass of the reactants from the mass of the products. The mass of deuterium (hydrogen-2) is 2 grams, the mass of tritium (hydrogen-3) is 3 grams, the mass of helium-4 is 4 grams, and the mass of a neutron is negligible. Therefore, the change in mass is 2 grams + 3 grams - 4 grams = 1 gram.
Using the equation E = mc2, where c is the speed of light (approximately 3 x 108 m/s), we can calculate the energy released:
E = (1 gram) x (3 x 108 m/s)2 = 9 x 1016 joules