Which particles are commonly released during nuclear fission?

During nuclear fission, a heavy nucleus, such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239, absorbs a neutron and becomes unstable, leading to its splitting into two smaller nuclei, which are known as fission fragments. This process typically releases two or three neutrons, which can go on to induce further fission reactions, creating a chain reaction.

In addition to neutrons, various smaller fragments, some of which may be radioactive isotopes, are released in the form of fission products, such as barium and krypton. The primary reason why the option involving the release of two or three neutrons and other fragments is correct lies in how the fission process inherently produces these components as part of the reaction's pathway.

The other choices involve particles that are either not relevant to the fission process itself or represent different types of nuclear interactions. For instance, alpha particles and beta particles pertain to different decay processes and do not feature in the primary mechanism of nuclear fission. Similarly, while gamma rays can be emitted during fission, the most characteristic products of a fission reaction are indeed the neutrons and the resulting fission fragments, making the mentioned choice the most accurate.