NUCLEAR FUSION

&
NUCLEAR FISSION
 NUCLEAR FUSION

Process in which two lighter nuclei fuse

together to form a heavier nucleus with the
simultaneous release of a huge amount of
energy is called nuclear fusion .
Some mass is lost during the fusion process and the
this is converted into energy in accordance with
Einstien’s equation E=mc^2. This huge amount of
energy is released.
• Nuclear fusion can take place only at very high
temperature.
• Fusion reactions are common in interior of stars.
• The function of hydrogen bomb is based on nuclear
fusion which is initiated by a fission bomb.
• The product of nucleus is heavier than either of
fusing nuclei.
• The energy released per unit mass of the combining
nuclides during fusion is very larger than that in a
fission process.
NUCLEAR FISSION
The splitting of heavy nucleus, when bombarded with
a suitable subatomic particle (normally a neutron),into
two fragments of comparable masses with the
simultaneous release of a huge amount of energy is
called nuclear fission.

eg: Uranium undergoes fission when bombarded with

thermal(or slow) neutrons.
 Atomic bomb is a device which work on the
principle of nuclear fission chain reaction.
 Fission can take place spontaneously at
ordinary temperature.
 The masses of product nuclei are
considerably lower than nucleus that
undergoes fission.
 The fission energy released per unit mass of
the material that undergoes fission is large.
fission of a nucleus produces two or three
neutrons, each of which can initiates another
fission. These secondary neutrons may
propagate the fission process, there by sitting up
a self sustaining reaction. It is then called a
nuclear chain reaction or fission chain
reaction.

The minimum amount of target material required to

sustain a fission chain reaction at a constant rate
is called critical rat