All Flashcards
What is the effect of a higher average binding energy?
A more stable nucleus.
What happens when a heavy nucleus absorbs a slow-moving neutron?
Nuclear fission occurs, and the nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, releasing energy.
What is the effect of mass defect?
The 'missing mass' is converted into binding energy, holding the nucleus together.
What powers the sun and stars?
Nuclear fusion.
What is mass-energy equivalence?
The concept that mass and energy are interchangeable, as described by .
Define binding energy.
The energy required to separate a system (typically a nucleus) into its individual particles.
What is mass defect?
The difference between the mass of individual nucleons and the mass of the nucleus.
Define nuclear fission.
The process where a heavy, unstable nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing energy.
What is nuclear fusion?
The process where two light nuclei combine to form a heavier, more stable nucleus, releasing energy.
Define atomic mass unit (amu or u).
A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights, equal to 1.6605 x 10⁻²⁷ kg.
What are the key differences between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?
Fission: Splitting of heavy nuclei, large energy release, often radioactive byproducts. | Fusion: Combining of light nuclei, very large energy release, generally not radioactive byproducts.
Compare the energy release in fission vs. fusion.
Fission: Releases a large amount of energy. | Fusion: Releases an even larger amount of energy than fission.
Compare the nuclei involved in fission vs. fusion.
Fission: Heavy, unstable nuclei. | Fusion: Light nuclei.
Compare the byproducts of fission vs. fusion.
Fission: Often radioactive. | Fusion: Generally not radioactive.