Nuclear Fusion
The fusion of two smaller nuclear results in an increase in the binding energy of the product as long as the mass number is less than 56. For fusion to occur, the nuclei would have to collide at high speed i.e. with high kinetic energy to overcome the proton repulsion.

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Key terms in this lesson
- binding energy
- The energy needed to separate a nucleus completely into its individual, unbound protons and neutrons.
More in Nuclear Energy
- Mass-Energy Equivalence
- Strong Nuclear Force
- Binding Energy and Nuclear Stability
- Quantum Tunnelling
- Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear Reactors
- Safety
All 8 lessons in Nuclear Energy · All OCR A-level Physics topics