Consider the following data:

PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Nuclei · Nuclei

Problem

Consider the following data: (i) Fusion:

^{20}_{10}\text{Ne} + ^{20}_{10}\text{Ne} \rightarrow ^{40}_{20}\text{Ca}

Average binding energy per nucleon:

^{20}_{10}\text{Ne} = 8.0\,\text{MeV}

^{40}_{20}\text{Ca} = 8.6\,\text{MeV}

(ii) Fission:

^{240}_{94}\text{Pu} \rightarrow 2\,^{120}_{50}\text{Sn}

Average binding energy per nucleon:

^{240}_{94}\text{Pu} = 7.6\,\text{MeV}

^{120}_{50}\text{Sn} = 8.5\,\text{MeV}

(a) Calculate the energy released in reaction (i). (b) Calculate the energy released in one event of reaction (ii). (c) Which process releases more energy per nucleon? Show your reasoning.

Related theory

Nuclear Reactions
Nuclear Binding Energy
Nuclear fission
Nuclear physics
Mass defect and binding energy
Nuclei

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