What nuclear reaction happens when two small nuclei combine?

Short Answer

Expert verified
When two small atomic nuclei combine, it causes a nuclear reaction known as nuclear fusion. The most common example of this is the process that powers the sun and other stars, where hydrogen nuclei combine to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy in the process.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Nuclear Reactions

Nuclear reactions involve changes in an atom's nucleus and are thus different from chemical reactions, which only involve changes in the electrons surrounding the nucleus. In particular, this question is about what happens when two small nuclei combine.
02

Define Nuclear Fusion

In nuclear physics, when two small nuclei combine to form a larger one, it is called nuclear fusion. This is a reaction where two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles (neutrons or protons). The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifested as energy.
03

Example of Nuclear Fusion

An example of nuclear fusion is the reaction occurring in the sun and other stars. Hydrogen nuclei come together to form helium. In this process, a lot of energy gets released, which is what makes stars shine. The process can be summarized in the following equation. \[4 \, ^1H \rightarrow ^4He + 2e^+ + 2\nu_e + \text{energy} \]

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