The Q-value of a reaction is the amount of energy released during the reaction. It is stated that in step 1 of the PPI thermonuclear reaction chain, 1H +1H → 2H + e+ + ν, 1.44 MeV energy is released; then in step 2: 2H + 1H → 3He + γ and step 3, 3He + 3He → 4He + 1H + 1H, 5.5 MeV and 12.8 MeV are released, respectively. Prove by appropriate calculation that the above quoted Q-values in MeV are true. The relevant masses: hydrogen 1.00782503214, helium-4 4.002603, positron 0.00054857991, deuterium 2.0141 and helium-3 3.0160 are all quoted in the atomic units of mass which is 1.6605387 × 10−27 kg. Ignore the neutrino contribution.
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fission is a type of nuclear reaction in which heavier nuclei split into lighter nuclei by releasing a large quantity of energy. The elements like uranium-235 and plutonium-239 isotope undergo nuclear fission releasing energy. When nuclei undergo fission, some quantity of mass is lost. The lost mass is converted to nuclear energy. Nuclear fission reaction is used in nuclear power plants and atomic bombs. In nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors are used to generate electricity.
Endothermic Nuclear Reaction
A nuclear reaction can be described as a process where two atoms, or two nuclei or nucleus and subatomic particles such as a proton, neutron interact together, and a large amount of energy is produced and new elements are also produced.
The Q-value of a reaction is the amount of energy released during the reaction. It is stated that
in step 1 of the PPI thermonuclear reaction chain,
1H +1H → 2H + e+ + ν,
1.44 MeV energy is released; then in step 2: 2H + 1H → 3He + γ and step 3,
3He + 3He → 4He + 1H + 1H, 5.5 MeV and 12.8 MeV are released, respectively. Prove by
appropriate calculation that the above quoted Q-values in MeV are true. The relevant masses:
hydrogen 1.00782503214, helium-4 4.002603, positron 0.00054857991, deuterium 2.0141 and
helium-3 3.0160 are all quoted in the atomic units of mass which is 1.6605387 × 10−27 kg. Ignore
the neutrino contribution.
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