Nuclear reactions can be written out in equation form with information about nuclei that take place in the fusion reaction and the nuclei that are produced. In one to two sentences, explain how you would identify the reaction as a fusion, and give two different criteria.

Answer 1

One way to identify a fusion reaction is by observing the increase in atomic mass of the nuclei involved, as fusion reactions involve the combination of lighter nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. Additionally, the release of a large amount of energy is also indicative of a fusion reaction, as fusion processes produce high levels of energy.