Question

In both fission and fusion, mass a) is the same before and after the event. b) is created from energy. c) is converted to energy. d) Both B and C are possible.

Answer 1

In both fission and fusion reactions, mass is converted to energy as put forth by Einstein's equation E = mc². In these nuclear reactions, the mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants, illustrating mass-energy conversion. The number of nucleons remains conserved in both processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

In both fission and fusion reactions, energy conversion plays a significant role. In a fission reaction, a heavy nucleus breaks apart into lighter ones, releasing energy in the process (figure 16.5b). Conversely, fusion occurs when two light atomic nuclei join together to form a heavier nucleus, also releasing energy (figure 16.5a).

The mass is not the same before and after these events. According to Einstein's equation E = mc², energy (E) is derived from the mass (m) of the system and the speed of light (c). So, this confirms option c) mass is converted to energy. This is observable in both fusion and fission reactions, where the collective mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants. In both processes, the number of nucleons remains conserved.

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