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 What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fussion?

1) Nuclear Fusion reactions are those reactions in which two small nuclei fuse together to form a bigger nucleus, with evolution of large amount of energy (almost three to four times greater than nuclear fission reaction). These type of reactions occur in the Sun and are responsible for the heat energy of the Sun. These reactions require very high temperatures.

For example, two hydrogen nuclei fuse to form one helium nucleus as:

2) Nuclear fission reactions are those reactions in which a bigger nucleus breaks into two or more smaller nuclei upon bombardment with high speed particles like neutron, with emission of alpha particles/beta particles/ gamma rays. These reactions too produce large amount of energy and are used in the nuclear power plants to generate electricity. They can result into a chain reaction, due to production of particles.

For example, Uranium disintegrates into Barium-141 and Krypton-92 upon bombardment with 1 neutron and emit 3 more neutrons.

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 Nuclear fission is the process used in the production of nuclear power. Fission involves splitting the nucleus of a heavy atom, such as uranium. This yields two or more lighter nuclei and a large amount of energy.

Nuclear Fusion, on the other hand, is the combination of two hydrogen nuclei into one helium nucleus, under conditions of extreme heat and pressure. Fusion is the process by which energy is created in the sun.

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 Nuclear FissionNuclear Fusion
Definition:Fission is the splitting of a large atom into two or more smaller ones.Fusion is the fusing of two or more lighter atoms into a larger one.
Natural occurrence of the process:Fission reaction does not normally occur in nature.Fusion occurs in stars, such as the sun.
Byproducts of the reaction:Fission produces many highly radioactive particles.Few radioactive particles are produced by fusion reaction, but if a fission "trigger" is used, radioactive particles will result from that.
Conditions:Critical mass of the substance and high-speed neutrons are required.High density, high temperature environment is required.
Energy Requirement:Takes little energy to split two atoms in a fission reaction.Extremely high energy is required to bring two or more protons close enough that nuclear forces overcome their electrostatic repulsion.
Energy Released:The energy released by fission is a million times greater than that released in chemical reactions; but lower than the energy released by nuclear fusion.The energy released by fusion is three to four times greater than the energy released by fission.
Nuclear weapon:One class of nuclear weapon is a fission bomb, also known as an atomic bomb or atom bomb.One class of nuclear weapon is the hydrogen bomb, which uses a fission reaction to "trigger" a fusion reaction.
 
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 Here is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.


 
Nuclear fission
 
Nuclear fusion
It involves splitting of one heavy nucleus into two or more lighter nuclei.It involves combining of two or more lighter nuclei to form one heavy nucleus.
A large amount of energy is released.Energy released is three or four times higher than the energy released during fission.
It is used in nuclear power plants.It is used in sun through which energy is created.
 
Hope, it helps both of you.
Best wishes!!

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Nuclear fusion is taking two atoms and combining them in to one atom, while nuclear fission takes one atom and splits it into two atoms. 
Both reactions involve the nucleus of an atom, and in both reactions, lots and lots of energy are released. Other than that, the two reactions are pretty much opposite. Fission involves the splitting of an atomic nucleus. Fusion involves the fusing of two or more units to create a new, heavier nucleus. 
Links are provided to articles on both subjects that have been posted by our friends at Wikipedia, where knowledge is free. 


In nuclear fusion two lighter nuclides fuse (join together) to form a heavier nuclide. 
In nuclear fission one heavy nuclide splits into two smaller ones. These two are not necessarily identical. 

Nuclear fission releases energy only if the resulting nuclides are as heavy as or heavier than Iron40. 
Fusion releases energy only if the resulting nuclide is as light as or lighter than Iron40.
It is possible to make elements heavier than Iron40 by fusion, but these reactions are strongly endothermic ( which means that a great deal of energy must be supplied from an external source). This can be done in an accelerator, but the process takes place in any quantity only in an exploding star. 
Nuclear fission is when a large nucleus such as uranium or plutonium splits into two smaller nuclei. When Uranium with an atomic mass of 235 absorbs a neutron and becomes Uranium 236 (its critical mass) it splits into two nuclei releasing loads of energy. 

Nuclear fusion is when two small nuclei (smaller the iron) fuse together to make a bigger one. The high energies and pressures are needed are very hard to recreate on earth because if you think about it the sun is hot because nuclear fusion is happening inside so we have to create the sun on earth. The only place fusion can happen naturally in stars. Fusion releases even more energy than fission. Most fusion happens between two hydrogen atoms to make a helium atom. 
Deuterium is hydrogen with one proton and one neutron (normal hydrogen is 1 proton only). Tritium is Hydrogen with two neutrons and one proton. These particles are what form hydrogen. If you add up the number of particles you will notice that one neutron is left over in the making of helium. This is turned into the massive amount of energy released in a fussion reaction and relased as light but mostly heat. 
Nuclear fision is the splitting of atoms and fusion is the combining of atoms


 
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