Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Nuclear Astrophysics

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Nuclear Astrophysics 1. Fusion vs. Fission Fusion and fission are two fundamental processes in nuclear astrophysics. Fusion refers to the merging of two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. On the other hand, fission involves the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more lighter nuclei, accompanied by the release of energy. While both processes release energy, they differ in the reactions they entail. Fusion powers the stars, including our Sun, while fission is harnessed in nuclear power plants. 2. Isotope vs. Element Isotope and element are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. An element refers to a substance composed of atoms with the same number of protons. For example, all carbon atoms have six protons, making carbon the element. On the other hand, isotopes are variants of an element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are examples of carbon isotopes, with 6 and 8 neutrons, respectively. 3. Neutron Star vs. Black Hole