Which statement is TRUE about nuclear FUSION?
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1 point
Nuclear fusion only releases a small amount of energy.
Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom
Nuclear fusion is used to provide electricity at nuclear power plants
Nuclear fusion is when atoms split apart
Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom.
The correct statement about nuclear fusion is: Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom.
The statement that is TRUE about nuclear fusion is "Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom." To understand why this statement is true, let's break down nuclear fusion and learn how to identify the correct statement.
Nuclear fusion is a process where two light atoms combine to form a single, heavier atom. This process releases a significant amount of energy. The energy is released because when atoms fuse, a small portion of their mass is converted into energy according to Einstein's famous equation, E = mc², where E represents energy, m represents mass, and c represents the speed of light. The energy released from nuclear fusion is many times greater than the energy released from other processes, such as chemical reactions.
Now, let's go through the other statements to identify the true one:
1. "Nuclear fusion only releases a small amount of energy." This statement is incorrect. As mentioned earlier, nuclear fusion releases a large amount of energy.
2. "Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom." This statement is the correct one. It accurately describes the process of nuclear fusion.
3. "Nuclear fusion is used to provide electricity at nuclear power plants." This statement is incomplete and not entirely true. While nuclear fusion holds promising potential as a clean, sustainable energy source, it is currently difficult to achieve and is not yet used for electricity generation at nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants currently use nuclear fission, which is a different process altogether.
4. "Nuclear fusion is when atoms split apart." This statement is incorrect. The process of splitting atoms apart is known as nuclear fission, which is different from nuclear fusion.
In conclusion, the statement that is true about nuclear fusion is: "Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form one, heavier atom."