Which of the following reactions represents nuclear fusion?
Answer Details
Nuclear fusion is a process where two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. In the given options, the reaction that represents nuclear fusion is:
\( ^2_1H + ^2_1H \to ^3_2He + ^1_0n\)
In this reaction, two hydrogen nuclei (also called protons) combine to form a helium nucleus (also called an alpha particle) and a neutron. This is the process that occurs in the sun and other stars, where the high temperature and pressure allow nuclear fusion to take place, releasing large amounts of energy.