A deuterium nucleus and a tritium nucleus react to yield one alpha particle, a neutron, and energy. This is an example of a
A) chemical reaction.
B) fission reaction.
C) fusion reaction.
D) chain reaction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Deuterium and tritium are both isotopes of hydrogen, and the fusion of these two isotopes results in the formation of a helium nucleus (alpha particle) and a neutron. This is a fusion reaction, as two smaller nuclei combine to form a larger one. Chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of electrons in atoms and do not result in nuclear transmutation. Fission reactions involve the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei into smaller ones, which is the opposite of fusion. A chain reaction is a self-sustaining fission or fusion reaction where the products of one reaction cause more reactions to occur.

A Deuterium Nucleus and a Tritium Nucleus React to Yield