Question

Which of these is true for a nuclear fusion reaction?(1 point)ResponsesThe 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.The number of particles in the product is greater than the number of particles of the reactants.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.

Answer 1

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.

In a fusion reaction, lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, and the atomic number of the resulting product is indeed the sum of the atomic numbers of the original reactants.

The other statements are not correct for nuclear fusion:

• The product typically has less mass than the total mass of the reactants because some mass is converted into energy (according to Einstein's equation \(E=mc^2\)).
• The number of particles in the product is generally less than or equal to that of the reactants (since two hydrogen nuclei can fuse to form one helium nucleus).
• The product of a nuclear fusion reaction can be an element found in nature, such as helium, which is a product of hydrogen fusion in stars.

Therefore, the first statement you provided about the atomic number is the correct one.