Why fission and fusion both release energy
Why do both fission of heavy nuclei and fusion of light nuclei release energy?
Answer B: explanation for every choice
A
Energy released comes from a decrease in mass (E = mc²).
B
Correct. Binding energy per nucleon peaks near iron. Moving toward that peak from either side releases energy as mass is lost.
C
Fission and fusion don't generally rely on converting protons into neutrons.
D
The number of nucleons is conserved.
TakeawayBinding energy per nucleon peaks near iron. Moving toward iron releases energy.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID cp100.