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Chapter 21: Problem 44

Why do heavy elements such as uranium undergo fission while light elements such as hydrogen and lithium undergo fusion?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Heavy elements such as uranium undergo fission because they are unstable and large, meaning they can gain stability when split into smaller nuclei. Meanwhile, light elements such as hydrogen and lithium undergo fusion because, by combining with other nuclei, they can form larger, more stable atoms.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Fission

Fission is a nuclear process where a heavy nucleus splits into two or more lighter ones. Big, heavy, unstable atomic nuclei like uranium have an excess of energy. It's easier for them to break apart (undergo fission) and release this excess energy, which results in more stable, lighter elements.
02

Understanding Fusion

Fusion, on the other hand, is the process where two or more light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. It's more frequently seen amongst lighter elements like hydrogen and lithium because they can increase their stability by combining nuclei to form heavier elements.
03

Balancing the Forces

Atomic nuclei are held together by the strong nuclear force. For smaller atoms, the nuclear force can overcome the repulsive force that pushes the protons apart. However, in larger atoms, the strong nuclear force isn't as effective against the repulsive force at long distances, making larger nuclei more unstable.
04

Gain in Stability

Both fission and fusion processes are driven by the principle of gaining stability. Large, heavy elements undergo fission to become more stable, while light elements undergo fusion to reach a more stable state.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Write balanced nuclear equations for these reactions and identify \(\mathrm{X}:\) (a) \(\mathrm{X}(\mathrm{p}, \alpha){ }_{6}^{12} \mathrm{C},\) (b) \({ }_{13}^{27} \mathrm{Al}(\mathrm{d}, \alpha) \mathrm{X}\) (c) \({ }_{25}^{55} \mathrm{Mn}(\mathrm{n}, \gamma) \mathrm{X}\)

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