Editing Nuclear reaction (section)

==Q-value and energy balance==
In writing down the reaction equation, in a way analogous to a [[chemical equation]], one may, in addition, give the reaction energy on the right side:
:

{{block indent|Target nucleus + projectile → Final nucleus + ejectile + ''Q''.}}

For the particular case discussed above, the reaction energy has already been calculated as ''Q'' = 22.2&nbsp;MeV. Hence:

{{block indent|[[Lithium-6|{{nuclide|lithium|6}}]]&nbsp;+&nbsp;[[hydrogen-2|{{nuclide|hydrogen|2}}]]&nbsp;→&nbsp;2&nbsp;[[helium|{{nuclide|helium|4}}]]&nbsp;+&nbsp;22.2&nbsp;[[electronvolt|MeV]].}}

The reaction energy (the "Q-value") is positive for exothermal reactions and negative for endothermal reactions, opposite to the [[Standard enthalpy of reaction|similar expression]] in [[chemistry]]. On the one hand, it is the difference between the sums of kinetic energies on the final side and on the initial side. But on the other hand, it is also the difference between the nuclear rest masses on the initial side and on the final side (in this way, we have calculated the [[Q value (nuclear science)|Q-value]] above).