Nuclear fission can be explained on the basis of Einstein's mass-energy relation, which is represented by option C. This relation, often expressed by the famous equation E=mc², states that energy (E) is equivalent to mass (m) multiplied by the square of the speed of light (c) in a vacuum. In the context of nuclear fission, the mass-energy relation is crucial because it explains how a small amount of mass can be converted into a significant amount of energy.
During nuclear fission, the nucleus of an atom, typically a heavy atom like uranium-235 or plutonium-239, is split into two smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy. This energy is a result of the conversion of a small fraction of the mass of the original nucleus into energy, in accordance with Einstein's mass-energy relation. The released energy in the form of gamma radiation and kinetic energy of the fission products can be harnessed for various applications, such as electricity generation in nuclear power plants.