Question

Which best describes nuclear fission?
1. A nucleus spontaneously splits and absorbs energy.
2. Two nuclei spontaneously combine and absorb energy.
3. A nucleus collides with a neutron and splits, releasing energy.
4. Nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The statement that best describes nuclear fission is:

3. A nucleus collides with a neutron and splits, releasing energy.

In nuclear fission, a heavy nucleus (such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239) absorbs a neutron, becomes unstable, and then splits into two or more smaller nuclei, along with the release of energy and additional neutrons.

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