Which statement best describes the process of fission?

Which statement best describes the process of fission?

• A. Smaller nuclei combine to form larger nuclei
• B. Nuclei emit gamma rays without changing nucleus
• C. Larger nuclei decay into smaller nuclei
• D. Nuclei transmute into different elements without energy release

Answer: (C)

Fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei, usually releasing a noticeable amount of energy and neutrons in the process. Saying that a larger nucleus decays into smaller nuclei describes this splitting action, which is the essence of fission. The energy comes from the fact that the resulting fragments have a higher average binding energy per nucleon than the original heavy nucleus, so energy is released as the nucleus splits. The other descriptions point to different processes: combining small nuclei into a larger one is fusion, not fission; emitting gamma rays without changing the nucleus describes gamma decay, which doesn’t involve splitting; and transmuting into different elements without energy release would not match the typical energetic nature of fission.

Fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei, usually releasing a noticeable amount of energy and neutrons in the process. Saying that a larger nucleus decays into smaller nuclei describes this splitting action, which is the essence of fission. The energy comes from the fact that the resulting fragments have a higher average binding energy per nucleon than the original heavy nucleus, so energy is released as the nucleus splits. The other descriptions point to different processes: combining small nuclei into a larger one is fusion, not fission; emitting gamma rays without changing the nucleus describes gamma decay, which doesn’t involve splitting; and transmuting into different elements without energy release would not match the typical energetic nature of fission.