Which process would release energy from gold, fission or fusion? Which would release energy from carbon? From iron?
Look at the binding energy curve for your answer. Here is a site that has a curve. Scroll down from the top a little to find it. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/nucbin.html
To determine which process would release energy from gold, carbon, and iron, we need to consider their respective nuclear reactions:
1. Gold: Both fission and fusion can potentially release energy from gold, but in practical terms, neither process is typically used for gold. Gold is a relatively stable element, so typical nuclear reactions do not yield significant energy from it.
2. Carbon: Fusion reactions can release energy from carbon. Specifically, the fusion process in stars like our Sun involves the conversion of hydrogen into helium, which releases a tremendous amount of energy. This energy is generated through a series of fusion reactions, including the fusion of carbon-12 with hydrogen. However, this process requires extremely high temperatures and pressures found in stellar cores.
3. Iron: Neither fission nor fusion can release energy from iron. Iron is the most stable element in terms of nuclear binding energy per nucleon. Both fission and fusion processes require energy to be invested, rather than generating energy, when involving iron. This is due to the fact that iron has the highest binding energy per nucleon, meaning it would require energy to either split (fission) or merge (fusion) iron atoms.
In summary, fusion reactions have the potential to release energy from carbon, particularly in stellar processes like those occurring in the Sun. Fission reactions are not typically used for gold, and neither fission nor fusion can release energy from iron.