NUCLEAR REACTIONS
Natural radioactive decay provides one example of a nuclear reaction. Other
examples of nuclear reactions include the bombardment of target nuclei with
subatomic particles to artificially induce radioactivity (this is nuclear fission) and
the nuclear fusion of small nuclei at extremely high temperatures. In all cases of
nuclear reactions that we’ll study, nucleon number and charge must be conserved.
To balance nuclear reactions, we write or for a proton and for a neutron.
Gamma-ray photons can also be produced in nuclear reactions; they have no charge
or nucleon number and are represented as.
Fission vs Fusion
Fission is the splitting
of a larger atom into
smaller ones. It does not
normally occur in nature
and is highly radioactive.
The energy produced is
significant but much less
than that produced
during fusion.
Fusion is the fusing of
two or more atoms into a
larger atom. This occurs
in nature and is found in
stars (like our sun) and is
less radioactive. The energy
produced by fusion is
three to four times greater
than fission.- A mercury-198 nucleus is bombarded by a neutron, which
causes a nuclear reaction.
What’s the unknown product particle, X?