In a nuclear fusion reaction, the following statement is true:
The atomic number of the product is the sum of the atomic number of the reactants.
Here's a brief explanation of why the other statements are not true:
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The product has more mass than the reactants because some mass is converted into energy. - This statement is incorrect. In nuclear fusion, the mass of the product is actually less than the total mass of the reactants, because some mass is converted into energy according to Einstein's equation \(E=mc^2\).
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The number of particles in the product is greater than the number of particles of the reactants. - This statement is also incorrect. In fusion, typically smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus, so the total number of particles may decrease or remain the same, but it is not greater.
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The product of a nuclear fusion reaction is always an element not found in nature. - This statement is not true. Many fusion reactions can produce elements that are indeed found in nature, like helium, which is commonly produced by fusing hydrogen nuclei.
So, the only true assertion regarding nuclear fusion among the options provided is related to the sum of atomic numbers.