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In the liquid drop model of nuclear fission, what happens to a nucleus after it absorbs a neutron?
AIt instantly freezes into a rigid, unchanging sphere
BIt shrinks uniformly without changing shape
CIt emits only gamma rays without any change in shape
DIt elongates and deforms until it finally splits apart
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. It elongates and deforms until it finally splits apart
1. The liquid drop model compares a struck nucleus to a drop of liquid water.
2. Absorbing a neutron causes the nucleus to elongate and deform, eventually narrowing until it splits into two parts.
3. The nucleus does not freeze rigidly or shrink uniformly in this process.
4. Gamma emission alone, without any change in shape, does not describe fission at all.
5. So elongating and deforming until it splits is correct.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Atom", section 22.4 Nuclear Fission and Fusion_
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