Nuclear fusion - P4

Question 1

What is nuclear fusion?

Answer 1

Nuclear fusion is when two nuclei fuse together to make one nucleus.
An example of this is fusion reactions occur in stars where two hydrogen nuclei fuse together under high temperatures and pressure to form a nucleus of a helium isotope.

Question 2

What is nuclear fission?

Answer 2

Nuclear fission is when a neutron hits a nucleus and the nucleus splits into two daughter nuclei.
An example of this is in a nuclear reactor. A neutron is absorbed into a nucleus (typically uranium-235). This causes the nucleus to become uranium-236, which is violently unstable. This then splits into two nuclei.