Question

How many number of nuclei of hydrogen fuse in a series of reaction involving other particles that continually appear and disappear?

(a) 1

(b) 2

(c) 3

(d) 4

This question was posed to me by my school principal while I was bunking the class.

The doubt is from Nuclear Fission & Nuclear Fusion topic in chapter Nuclear Power Plant of Energy Engineering

Answer 1

The correct option is (d) 4

Easiest explanation: Four nuclei of hydrogen fuse in a series of reaction involving other particles that continually appear and disappear such as He3, nitrogen, carbon and other nuclei.

    41H^1 → 2He^4 + 2+1e^0 (Positrons)

Mass decreases to about 0.0276amu releasing 25.7MeV. The heat liberated during this result in temperature of the order of the million degrees and sustains the succeeding reactions.