Question

If in a nuclear fusion process, the masses of the fusing nuclei are m₁ and m₂ and the mass of the resultant nucleus is m₃, then

• A. m₃=|m₁–m₂|
• B. m₃ < (m₁+m₂)
• C. m₃>(m₁+m₂)
• D. m₃=m₁+m₂

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In a nuclear fusion process, two lighter nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. One of the key aspects of nuclear fusion is the mass-energy relationship governed by Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle. According to this principle, the mass lost during the fusion process is converted into energy:

The equation for the mass-energy equivalence is given by:

E = \Delta m \cdot c^2

Where:

• E is the energy released during the fusion.
• \Delta m is the change in mass, which is the difference between the total mass of the initial nuclei and the mass of the fused nucleus.
• c is the speed of light in vacuum (approximately 3 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s}).

In this process, the mass of the resultant nucleus m_3 is less than the sum of the initial masses m_1 and m_2. Therefore, the correct relationship is:

m_3 < (m_1 + m_2)

This is because the mass difference (m_1 + m_2 - m_3) is converted into energy according to the mass-energy equivalence principle, explaining the immense energy release during nuclear fusion.

Thus, the correct answer is:

m_3 < (m_1 + m_2)