Which of these is true for a nuclear fusion reaction?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The product of a nuclear fusion reaction is always an element not found in nature.
The product of a nuclear fusion reaction is always an element not found in nature.

The product has more mass than the reactants because some mass is converted into energy.
The product has more mass than the reactants because some mass is converted into energy.

The atomic number of the product is the sum of the atomic number of the reactants.
The atomic number of the product is the sum of the atomic number of the reactants.

The number of particles in the product is greater than the number of particles of the reactants.

Answer 1

The correct statement about a nuclear fusion reaction is:

The atomic number of the product is the sum of the atomic number of the reactants.

In a fusion reaction, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. The atomic number of the resulting element is indeed the sum of the atomic numbers of the two reactants.

The other statements are not accurate:

• The product is not always an element not found in nature; for example, fusion in stars primarily produces helium, which is indeed found in nature.
• The product of a fusion reaction actually has less mass than the total mass of the reactants because some mass is converted into energy (according to Einstein's equation, E=mc²).
• The number of particles in the product is generally less than or equal to the number of particles in the reactants, as fusion typically results in the merging of nuclei rather than an increase in the number of particles.