Unit Test — Cumulative exam

Question 21 • Crowley Credit Recovery Physics B

Which statement describes why energy is released in a nuclear fission reaction based on mass-energy equivalence?

Answer

For large nuclei, the mass of the original nucleus is greater than the mass of the products.

For large nuclei, the mass of the original nucleus is less than the mass of the products.

For small nuclei, the binding energy of the lighter nuclei is greater than the binding energy of the heavier nucleus.

For small nuclei, the binding energy of the lighter nuclei is less than the binding energy of the heavier nucleus.

Explanation

In fission, a large nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, and the total mass of the products is less than the mass of the original nucleus. The missing mass is converted into energy according to E = mc², so the correct statement is that the original nucleus has greater mass than the products.

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