E Go In one type of fusion reaction a proton fuses with a...

E Go In one type of fusion reaction a proton fuses with a neutron to form a deuterium nucleus: $$ { }_{1}^{1} \mathrm{H}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}+\gamma $$ The masses are ${ }_{1} \mathrm{H}(1.0078 \mathrm{u}),{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}(1.0087 \mathrm{u}),$ and ${ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}(2.0141 \mathrm{u}) .$ The $\gamma$ -ray photon is massless. How much energy (in $\mathrm{MeV}$ ) is released by this reaction?

E Go In one type of fusion reaction a proton fuses with a neutron to form a deuterium nucleus:
$$
{ }_{1}^{1} \mathrm{H}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}+\gamma
$$
The masses are ${ }_{1} \mathrm{H}(1.0078 \mathrm{u}),{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}(1.0087 \mathrm{u}),$ and ${ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}(2.0141 \mathrm{u}) .$ The $\gamma$ -ray
photon is massless. How much energy (in $\mathrm{MeV}$ ) is released by this reaction?

Key Concepts

Mass–Energy Equivalence

Mass–energy equivalence is a principle summarised by Einstein's equation E = mc², which states that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa. In nuclear processes, a small loss in mass (mass defect) results in a significant release of energy because the speed of light squared (c²) is a very large number.

Nuclear Fusion Reactions

Nuclear fusion is a process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy in the process. This reaction occurs because the combined nucleus has a lower total mass than the sum of its individual parts, and the lost mass is converted into energy. Fusion reactions are the fundamental energy source in stars and have the potential for controlled energy generation on Earth.

Mass Defect

The mass defect refers to the difference between the mass of separate nucleons and the mass of the nucleus they form when bound together. In nuclear reactions, this missing mass is not actually lost but converted into energy, which is a key indicator of nuclear binding energy and reaction energetics.

Atomic Mass Unit Conversion

Atomic mass units (u) provide a convenient scale for expressing masses of atomic and subatomic particles. To relate mass differences to energy released in nuclear reactions, these units are converted into energy units like megaelectronvolts (MeV) using the conversion factor (approximately 931.5 MeV per u).

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