A deuterium nucleus and a tritium nucleus react to yield one alpha particle, a neutron, and energy. For this reaction, the sum of the masses of reaction products after the reaction is __________ the sum of the masses of particles before the reaction.
A) less than
B) equal to
C) greater than

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass of the reaction products is less than the mass of the reactants due to the conversion of some mass into energy, as described by Einstein's equation E=mc^2. This mass difference is what releases energy in nuclear reactions.

A Deuterium Nucleus and a Tritium Nucleus React to Yield