Suppose we had a quantity of N deuterons ( nuclei). (a) We have to find which one of the following procedures for fusing these N nuclei releases more energy, and how much more. (A) fusion reactions of the type , or (B) fusion reactions of the type , using nuclei of that are first made in reactions of the type A. (b) We have to list the ultimate product nuclei resulting from the two procedures and the quantity of each.

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(a)

In fusion reactions of the type (A)

the total energy released will be

We consider next the process of type (B). In reactions of the type A the energy released will be

and deuteron nuclei would have fused and nuclei of would have formed. These nuclei of fuse with the remaining nuclei of by the process

,

and released additional energy

Thus the total energy released in the fusion of N deuteron, , nuclei would be

We note that when N nuclei fuse with the process (B) , excess energy of amount 5.191N MeV would be released.

(b)

The ultimate products of fusion process of the type (A) will be nuclei of , and protons.

And, the ultimate products of fusion process of the type (B) will be nuclei of , and protons and neutrons each.