Question

Energy is released in nuclear fission due to:

• A. only a few mass is converted into energy
• B. the total binding energy(B.E) of fragments is more than the B.E. of parental element
• C. total B.E. of fragments is less than the B.E. of parantal element
• D. total B.E. of fragments is equal to the B.E. of parantal element

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

the total binding energy(B.E) of fragments is more than the B.E. of parental element

Energy is released in nuclear fission is due to the total binding energy (BE) of fragments is more than the B.E. of the parental element.

Nuclear fission occurs in heavy nuclei and leads to the formation of lighter nuclei.

It is well known from the B.E. curve that for heavier nuclei, a decrease in the atomic mass lead to increase of binding energy per nucleon in a nucleus.