Nuclear reactions can be written out in equation form with information about the nuclei that take place in the reaction and the nuclei that are produced.
Explain how you would identify a reaction as fusion, give at least two criteria.
Explain how you would identify a reaction as fission, give at least two criteria.
To identify a reaction as fusion, you can look for the following criteria:
1. The reaction involves the combining of lighter nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. Fusion reactions typically involve hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium combining to form helium.
2. Fusion reactions often release large amounts of energy, as seen in stars and nuclear fusion experiments. This energy is a result of the conversion of mass to energy according to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.
To identify a reaction as fission, you can look for the following criteria:
1. The reaction involves the splitting of a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei. Fission reactions typically involve uranium or plutonium isotopes splitting into lighter elements such as barium and krypton.
2. Fission reactions often release neutrons, which can further initiate a chain reaction of more fission reactions. This chain reaction is the basis of nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.