Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Why?
Fission and fusion are two processes that alter the nucleus of an atom.
Nuclear fission provides the energy in nuclear power plants and fusion is the source
of the sun’s energy. The use of fission in power plants can help conserve fossil fuels.
Without the energy produced by the fusion of hydrogen in the sun, the Earth would
quickly change into a cold planet that could not support life as we know it.

Learning Objectives
• Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
• Understand the conservation laws that apply to nuclear reactions.

Success Criteria
• Find missing reactants/products in nuclear equations.
• Identify nuclear reactions as examples of fission or fusion.

Vocabulary
• Fission
• Fusion
• Transmutation
• Nuclide

Prerequisites
• Structure of atoms and isotopes.
• Knowledge of mass number and atomic number.
• Atomic symbols including mass number, atomic number, and charge.

Information
Transmutation is the transformation of the nucleus of an atom so that the
atom is changed from one element into a different element. This can be
accomplished through many types of reactions, including fission and fusion.
Nuclear transformations always obey two fundamental conservation laws:
(1) mass number is conserved and (2) electrical charge is conserved.
Energy and mass are not conserved, but can be inter-converted according to
Einstein's equation, E = mc2.

© POGIL – 2005 1/5

Written by Michael Fusaro; Assessed by: Rohini Quackenbush, Erin Graham, and Lizabeth Tumminello
Edited by Linda Padwa and David Hanson, Stony Brook University
 Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Model
1. Fission
The process of fission occurs when a nucleus splits into smaller pieces. Fission can be
induced by a nucleus capturing slow moving neutrons, which results in the nucleus
becoming very unstable.

(http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch23/fission.html)

The following equations represent fission reactions, where n = neutron.

235
92U + 10n → 14156Ba + 9236Kr + 3 10n 235
92U + 10n → 13150Sn + 10342Mo + 2 10n
235
92U + 10n → 13752Te + 9740Zr + 2 10n 235
92U + 10n → 13854Xe + 9538Sr + 3 10n
235
92U + 10n → 15260Nd + 8132Ge + 3 10n

2. Fusion
Fusion occurs when 2 nuclei join together to form a larger nucleus. Fusion is brought
about by bringing together two or more small nuclei under conditions of tremendous
pressure and heat.

(Phillips, Strozak, Wistrom, Glencoe Chemistry. 2002 p. 766)

The following equations represent fusion reactions, where p = proton.

2
1H + 21H → 31H + 11p 3
2He + 32He → 42He + 211H
2
1H + 31H → 42He + 10n

© POGIL – 2005 2/5

Written by Michael Fusaro; Assessed by: Rohini Quackenbush, Erin Graham, and Lizabeth Tumminello
Edited by Linda Padwa and David Hanson, Stony Brook University
 Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Key Questions
1. What is fission?

2. What is fusion?

3. What is the difference between deuterium, , and tritium, ?

4. What quantities are conserved in a nuclear transmutation?

5. The fusion equations show the production of atoms of several different elements,
even though each reaction begins with isotopes of hydrogen. Knowing the starting
elements, can one predict what element will form as a result of a given reaction?
Explain why or why not.

6. The fission equations show the production of many different elements, even
though each reaction begins with uranium-235 and one neutron. How is this
possible given the conservation laws for nuclear reactions?

© POGIL – 2005 3/5

Written by Michael Fusaro; Assessed by: Rohini Quackenbush, Erin Graham, and Lizabeth Tumminello
Edited by Linda Padwa and David Hanson, Stony Brook University
 Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Exercises
1. An equation in the model shows the fusion of two deuterium nuclei to form a
nucleus of tritium. Suggest another product that might form in this reaction.

21H + 21H → ___________

2. Describe how to find the identity of the species X in the equation

23592U + 10n  15260Nd + X + 3 10n.

3. What is missing in the following reaction?

92U + 10n  ________ + 9037Rb + 2 10n

235

4. An atom of U-235 absorbs a neutron and produces an atom of Sb-125 and four
neutrons. Identify the other nuclide formed in this reaction. Write the equation to
support your answer.

5. Identify the following equations as fission or fusion.

Fission or Fusion?
21H + 21H  31H + 11p
23592U + 10n  14156Ba + 9236Kr + 3 10n
23592U + 10n  13854Xe + 9538Sr + 3 10n
32He + 32He  42He + 211H

© POGIL – 2005 4/5

Written by Michael Fusaro; Assessed by: Rohini Quackenbush, Erin Graham, and Lizabeth Tumminello
Edited by Linda Padwa and David Hanson, Stony Brook University
 Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Research
1. What is the source of energy in fusion and fission reactions? Explain your
answer.

2. Name one problem associated with the use of nuclear energy and briefly explain
why it is a problem. Also identify how that problem might be addressed.

3. During the 1950’s, when many countries performed above ground tests of
nuclear weapons, there was much concern about the radioactive fallout when the
by-products of uranium fission landed on populated areas. One major concern
dealt with the fallout of radioactive strontium isotopes and a suspected link to
increases in leukemia and bone cancer. What part of the body might absorb
strontium? Explain your answer.

© POGIL – 2005 5/5

Written by Michael Fusaro; Assessed by: Rohini Quackenbush, Erin Graham, and Lizabeth Tumminello
Edited by Linda Padwa and David Hanson, Stony Brook University
Name: _________________________________________ Date: _____________
Nuclear Fission and Fusion
Learning Objectives
• Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
• Understand the conservation laws that apply to nuclear reactions.
Vocabulary
• Fission, fusion, transmutation and nuclide.

Why?
Fission and fusion are two processes that alter the nucleus of an atom. Nuclear fission provides the
energy in nuclear power plants and fusion is the source of the sun’s energy. The use of fission in power
plants can help conserve fossil fuels. Without the energy produced by eh fusion of the hydrogen in the sun,
the Earth would quickly change into a cold planet that could not support life as we know it.

Information
Transmutation is the transformation of the nucleus of an atom so that the atom is changed from one
element into a different element. This can be accomplished through many types of reactions, including
fission and fusion.
Nuclear transformations always obey two fundamental conservation laws: (1) mass number is
conserved and (2) electrical charge is conserved. Energy and mass are not served, but can be inter-
converted according to Einstein’s equation, E=mc2. The amount of binding energy released from the
nucleus of an atom during fission and fusion is so tremendous that a small fraction of mass is converted to
energy; this is referred to as the mass defect.

Model
Key Questions
1. What is fission?
The splitting of a larger nucleus into smaller pieces and energy. The smaller pieces usually consist of
smaller nuclei and energy.

2. What is fusion?
When two smaller nuclei join together to form one large nucleus.

3. What is the difference between the nuclei, deuterium, 21𝐻 and tritium, 31𝐻 ?
Deuterium, hydrogen-2 has 1 neutron in its nucleus while Tritium, hydrogen-3, has 2 neutrons in its
nucleus.

4. What two quantities are conserved in all nuclear transmutations?

Mass number and charge.

5. The fusion equations show the production of atoms of several different elements through the
combination of hydrogen nuclei. These reactions require tremendous amounts of energy and pressure
in order to be successful.
• Why is it so difficult to get two nuclei of elements to come together? (Hint: Think about the
particles contained in the nuclei of all atoms)
The nuclei of atoms have positive charge and will repel when close together.

6. The nuclei of atoms will repel because of the like charges. Explain, in terms of nuclear charge, why
fusion is only possible for the nuclei of small elements such as hydrogen and is impossible for the
nuclei of large elements, such as uranium.
Larger nuclei contain more protons and a greater nuclear charge. Therefore they will have stronger
repelling forces when brought close together.
Exercises
1. An equation in the model shows the fusion of two deuterium nuclei to form a nucleus of
tritium. Suggest another product that might form in this reaction.

2
1𝐻 + 21𝐻 → ___ 𝟒𝟐𝑯𝒆 ________

2. Describe how to find the identity of the species X in the equation.

235
92𝑈 + 10𝑛 → 152 1
60𝑁𝑑 + X + 3 0𝑛

Add up the total charge of the reactants on the left of the equation and set it equal to the
total charge of the products on the right side of the equation then solve for the missing
charge. Solving for charge: 92 + 0 → 60 + x + 0; 92 → 60 + x; x =32

3. What is missing in the following reaction?

Solving for mass: 235 + 1 → x + 90 + 2(1); 236 → x + 92; x= 144

235
92𝑈 + 10𝑛 → ____ 𝟏𝟒𝟒 90 1
𝟓𝟓𝑪𝒔_____ + 37𝑅𝑏 + 2 0𝑛

Solving for charge: 92 + 0 → x + 37 + 2(0); 92 → x + 37; x =55

4. An atom of U-235 absorbs a neutron and produces an atom of Sb-123, four neutrons and an
unknown nuclide, X. Write the decay equation to represent this reaction and identify the other
nuclide, X, formed in this reaction.

𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏𝟐𝟑
𝟗𝟐𝑼 + 𝟏𝟎𝒏 → 𝟓𝟏𝑺𝒃 + 4 𝟏𝟎𝒏 + 𝑿

Mass: 235 + 1 → 123 + 4(1) + x; 236 → 127 + x; x= 109

Charge: 92 + 0 → 51 + 4(0) + x ; 92 → 51 + x ; x= 41

𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏𝟐𝟑
𝟗𝟐𝑼 + 𝟏𝟎𝒏 → 𝟓𝟏𝑺𝒃 + 4 𝟏𝟎𝒏 + 𝟏𝟎𝟗
𝟒𝟏𝑵𝒃

5. Classifying the following equations as fission or fusion.