GMAT Sentence Correction (SC) | Re: Nuclear fusion is the force that powers the Sun, the stars,

Need help.
Reviving an old thread here.

D and E are clearly out as they change the meaning

Between A,B and C

(A) merging the nuclei of atoms and not splitting them apart, as in nuclear reactors
(B) merging the nuclei of atoms instead of splitting them apart, like nuclear reactors
(C) merging the nuclei of atoms rather than splitting them apart, as nuclear reactors do

C is the right answer.

But I have one more query here:"Nuclear fusion is the force that powers the Sun, the stars, and
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