Question

Nuclear fission is best defined as:

Options

• A reaction in which two light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy

• A spontaneous decay process in which a heavy nucleus emits an alpha particle and transmutes into a lighter nucleus

• A proton-induced reaction in which a heavy nucleus breaks into several alpha particles

• A neutron-induced nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus, such as uranium-235, breaks into two intermediate-mass nuclear fragments

Answer 1

Nuclear fission is specifically a neutron-induced nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus such as uranium-235 breaks into two intermediate-mass nuclear fragments. It is distinct from alpha decay (spontaneous) and fusion (combining of light nuclei).