UNIVERSE
PLANETARY INTERIORS
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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nuclear fusion of lighter elements into heavier elements
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nuclear fusion of heavier elements into lighter elements
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radioactive decay of lighter elements into heavier elements
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radioactive decay of heavier elements into lighter elements
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Detailed explanation-1: -Nuclear Fusion reactions power the Sun and other stars. In a fusion reaction, two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus. The process releases energy because the total mass of the resulting single nucleus is less than the mass of the two original nuclei.
Detailed explanation-2: -Fission is the splitting of a nucleus that releases free neutrons and lighter nuclei. The fission of heavy elements is highly exothermic which releases about 200 million eV compared to burning coal which only gives a few eV.
Detailed explanation-3: -Helium and carbon Helium, carbon and oxygen. The highest mass stars can make all elements up to and including iron in their cores. But iron is the heaviest element they can make. Fusion of iron does not create energy, and without an energy supply, the star will soon die.
Detailed explanation-4: -nuclear fusion, process by which nuclear reactions between light elements form heavier elements (up to iron). In cases where the interacting nuclei belong to elements with low atomic numbers (e.g., hydrogen [atomic number 1] or its isotopes deuterium and tritium), substantial amounts of energy are released.