Nuclear reactions can be written out in equation form with information about nuclei that take place in the fusion reaction and the nuclei that are produced. In one to two sentences, explain how you would identify the reaction as a fusion, and give two different criteria.
One way to identify a fusion reaction is by observing the increase in atomic mass of the nuclei involved, as fusion reactions involve the combination of lighter nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. Additionally, the release of a large amount of energy is also indicative of a fusion reaction, as fusion processes produce high levels of energy.
To identify a nuclear reaction as fusion, you can look for an increase in atomic number (Z) and mass number (A) in the products compared to the reactants. Two criteria to determine fusion include the release of large amounts of energy due to the combination of light nuclei and the generation of isotopes with higher atomic numbers.
