Question

Assertion: More energy is released in fusion than fission reactions.
Reason: More nucleons take part in fission reactions.
Which is correct among Assertion and Reason and Is Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion?

Answer 1

Hint: In nuclear physics, when one nucleus undergoes in reaction with some other nuclei and forms a new nuclei some energy is needed to make possible these atomic reactions are known as Fusion reactions. And similarly when one nuclei undergoes in breaking into small daughter nuclei, a large part of energy is released this type of nuclear reaction is known as fission reaction.


Complete step-by-step solution:
 Let us first examine the assertion given to us which is:
More energy is released in fusion than fission reactions. Now, in fusion nuclear reactions two or more nuclei combine to form a bigger nuclei and in this energy per nucleon is big as a bigger nuclei is formed while in fission reactions a bigger parental nuclei breaks into small daughter nuclei whose energy per nucleon is small and hence, the energy released is less.
So, we can say that nuclear fusion reactions release more energy than nuclear fission reactions and the reason is that in nuclear fusion reactions, more nucleons take part.
But, the reason given is that more nucleons take part in fission reactions which is correct but it’s not the reason for the given assertion.
Hence, Both Assertion and Reasons are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.

Note: It should be remembered that, the nuclei which have much larger mass and have a tendency to undergo breaking into smaller nuclei are only nuclides which proceed in nuclear fission reactions and similarly small daughter nuclei which can combine to form bigger nuclei are only ones which proceed in nuclear fusion reactions.