How can we calculate the energy released in a nuclear reaction?

To calculate the energy released in a nuclear reaction, we use Einstein's famous equation E=mc².

In a nuclear reaction, the total mass of the reactants is not equal to the total mass of the products. This difference in mass is known as the mass defect. The mass defect is converted into energy according to Einstein's equation, where E is the energy released, m is the mass defect, and c is the speed of light.

To calculate the mass defect, we subtract the total mass of the products from the total mass of the reactants. This mass defect is then multiplied by c² to find the energy released in the reaction.

For example, in the fusion reaction between two hydrogen atoms to form helium, the mass of the helium atom is less than the combined mass of the two hydrogen atoms. The mass defect is converted into energy, which is released as light and heat.

The energy released in a nuclear reaction can also be calculated using the binding energy per nucleon. The binding energy is the energy required to separate a nucleus into its individual nucleons. The binding energy per nucleon is the binding energy divided by the number of nucleons in the nucleus. The difference in binding energy per nucleon between the reactants and products is the energy released in the reaction.

In summary, the energy released in a nuclear reaction can be calculated using Einstein's equation or the difference in binding energy per nucleon between the reactants and products.