16
practice examMultiple Choice

Practice Exam

Question 16 • Physics

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

Answer
A
For large nuclei, the mass of the original nucleus is greater than the mass of the products.
B
For small nuclei, the binding energy of the lighter nuclei is less than the binding energy of the heavier nucleus.
C
For small nuclei, the binding energy of the lighter nuclei is greater than the binding energy of the heavier nucleus.
D
For large nuclei, the mass of the original nucleus is less than the mass of the products.

Explanation

In fission, a large nucleus splits into smaller product nuclei. The products together have slightly less mass than the original nucleus; the missing mass is converted into released energy according to E = mc². So the correct statement is that, for large nuclei, the original nucleus has greater mass than the products.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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