The fusion reaction ²H + ³H → ⁴He + n releases 17.6 MeV of energy. The mass of ²H is 2.01410 u, the mass of ⁴He is 4.00260 u, and the mass of the neutron is 1.00866 u. What is the mass of ³H?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a fusion reaction, the mass of the reactants must be greater than the mass of the products due to the conversion of mass to energy. Using the given masses and the conservation of mass, we can calculate the mass of ³H: (2.01410 u) + (2.01410 u) + (1.00866 u) + (1.00866 u) + x = (4.00260 u) + (1.00866 u) Simplifying: 6.05512 u + x = 5.01126 u x = 3.0161 u Therefore, the mass of ³H is 3.0161 u, which is answer choice B.

The Fusion Reaction 2H + 3H → 4He + N

The Fusion Reaction ²H + ³H → ⁴He + N