Practice portal › Nuclei › Nuclear Reactions, Fission and Fusion

How many neutrons will produced for a given following nuclear fission reaction ? ¹₀n+²³⁵₉₂U→²³⁶₉₂U→¹⁴⁴₅₆Ba+⁸⁹₃₆Kr+(?) ¹₀n

Asked in GUJCET 2021 · Q-value, decay and conservation laws

Answer: (2) 3

Step-by-step solution

Idea: a nuclear reaction conserves both the nucleon number (mass number) and the charge (atomic number). Count each side.

Left: 1+235=236 nucleons, all carried by the intermediate ²³⁶₉₂U.

Right, in the fragments: 144+89=233 nucleons.

Missing: 236-233=3 nucleons, and each free neutron carries one, so 3 neutrons are produced.

Charge checks out too: 56+36=92, and a neutron carries no charge.

Why the other options are wrong

More Nuclear Reactions, Fission and Fusion questionsAll Nuclear Reactions, Fission and Fusion questions →

Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.

Practise this with a timer