Which process releases energy by splitting atoms?

Which process releases energy by splitting atoms?

• A. Fusion
• B. Ionization
• C. Fission
• D. Nuclear decay

Answer: (C)

Splitting atoms to release energy happens through fission. In this process a heavy nucleus breaks into two lighter nuclei, and in doing so the total binding energy of the resulting nuclei is higher than that of the original heavy nucleus. The difference shows up as energy, because some mass is converted to energy according to E=mc^2. This is why heavy elements like uranium-235 released energy when they undergo fission, especially when struck by a neutron which initiates the reaction and may release additional neutrons to continue it. Fusion, on the other hand, releases energy by combining light nuclei into a heavier one, not by splitting. Ionization is about removing electrons, which involves the electron cloud rather than the nucleus. Nuclear decay involves a nucleus transforming into a different, usually more stable, nucleus with emission of radiation; it doesn’t split the atom into two pieces in the way fission does.

Splitting atoms to release energy happens through fission. In this process a heavy nucleus breaks into two lighter nuclei, and in doing so the total binding energy of the resulting nuclei is higher than that of the original heavy nucleus. The difference shows up as energy, because some mass is converted to energy according to E=mc^2. This is why heavy elements like uranium-235 released energy when they undergo fission, especially when struck by a neutron which initiates the reaction and may release additional neutrons to continue it.

Fusion, on the other hand, releases energy by combining light nuclei into a heavier one, not by splitting. Ionization is about removing electrons, which involves the electron cloud rather than the nucleus. Nuclear decay involves a nucleus transforming into a different, usually more stable, nucleus with emission of radiation; it doesn’t split the atom into two pieces in the way fission does.