[Moonman62]

Both fission AND fusion work because mass is converted to energy. In the case of fusion, the final fused atom weighs less than the two smaller atoms that were "fused"---that weight difference is the amount of mass converted to energy

The same can be said about flashlight batteries. There will be a small change in mass between a new one and a depleted one due to energy conversion. It still doesn't change the fact that the main source of joy in a fission explosion is electromagnetic repulsion.

[Wonder Warthog]

"There will be a small change in mass between a new one and a depleted one due to energy conversion. It still doesn't change the fact that the main source of joy in a fission explosion is electromagnetic repulsion."

Sorry, but not true. The only place where "electromagnetic repulsion" comes into play is in converting the velocity of the two fission fragment particles into heat as they collide with other atoms in the fuel rods. The SOURCE of that velocity is the mass difference between the original atom and the two new fission product atoms.

[CarrotAndStick]

No, no! Batteries probably weighed less after usage, if they did so, because of escape of gases of reactions and the like. Nuclear energy produced is very obedient to the law E = mc^2. E is the energy produced, m is the ever so tiny change in mass, c is a large constant whose magnitude is the same as the value of the velocity of light, all in SI units.

[WildTurkey]

The same can be said about flashlight batteries. There will be a small change in mass between a new one and a depleted one due to energy conversion. It still doesn't change the fact that the main source of joy in a fission explosion is electromagnetic repulsion.

I can't belive it. I mean, I can't believe I actually see someone else posting this!