Question 10: Discuss the similarities and differences between fission and fusion.
ANSWER
Similarities
- Both, fission and fusion, are nuclear reactions in which energy is released.
- In both cases, the product nuclei have greater binding energy per nucleon than the initially reacting particles.
- Energy obtained in the processes is in line with the Einstein’s Equation, E = Δmc2, where Δm is the difference in the rest masses of the particles before and after the reaction.
Differences
- In nuclear fission reaction, a heavy nucleus breaks into two intermediate nuclei and energy is released. On the other hand, in fusion reaction, two lighter nuclei combine together to form a relatively larger nucleus.
- Fission reaction results from the interaction of a thermalized (slow) neutron with the uranium- 235 isotope. On the other hand, in fusion reaction, two light nuclei with high speeds fused together to form another nucleus. The temperature required is 109 K.
- In fission reaction, energy produced is 200 MeV per nucleus. On the other hand, 18 MeV energy
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