AP Physics 2 / Unit 15: Modern Physics
15.7 Fission, Fusion, and Nuclear Decay
Notes
- Fission: a heavy nucleus splits (uranium); fusion: light nuclei combine (stars).
- Both release energy from a mass defect: $E=mc^2$.
- Nucleon number and charge are conserved.
Practice
The sun is powered by:
Hydrogen fuses into helium.
$E=mc^2$ means that in nuclear reactions:
Mass defect.
In nuclear reactions, which is conserved?
Balance the equation.
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