nuclear fission

Examples of nuclear fission in the following topics:

• Nuclear Fission

  • Nuclear fission occurs when an atom splits into two or more smaller atoms, most often the as the result of neutron bombardment.
  • Nuclear fission is a process by which the nucleus of an atom is split into two or more smaller nuclei, known as fission products.
  • The strong nuclear force is the force between two or more nucleons.
  • While nuclear fission can occur without this neutron bombardment, in what would be termed spontaneous fission, this is a rare occurrence; most fission reactions, especially those utilized for energy and weaponry, occur via neutron bombardment.
  • In nuclear fission, an unstable atom splits into two or more smaller pieces that are more stable, and releases energy in the process.

• Nuclear Fission in Reactors

  • Nuclear reactors convert the thermal energy released from nuclear fission into electricity.
  • Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller (lighter) nuclei.
  • For example, when a large fissile atomic nucleus such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239 absorbs a neutron, it may undergo nuclear fission.
  • Nuclear reactors generally have automatic and manual systems to shut the fission reaction down if unsafe conditions are detected.
  • An induced nuclear fission event.

• Conservation of Nucleon Number and Other Laws

  • Through radioactive decay, nuclear fusion and nuclear fission, the number of nucleons (sum of protons and neutrons) is always held constant.
  • Chain reactions of nuclear fission release a tremendous amount of energy, but follow the Law of Conservation of Nucleon Number.
  • This is the same with all fission reactions.
  • It is well understood that the tremendous amounts of energy released by nuclear fission and fusion can be attributed to the conversion of mass to energy.
  • Thus, the number of nucleons before and after fission and fusion is always constant.

• Nuclear Reactors

  • The energy released from nuclear fission can be harnessed to make electricity with a nuclear reactor.
  • When a large, fissile atomic nucleus such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239 absorbs a neutron, it may undergo nuclear fission.
  • Nuclear reactors generally have automatic and manual systems to shut the fission reaction down if unsafe conditions are detected.
  • Just as many conventional thermal power stations generate electricity by harnessing the thermal energy released from burning fossil fuels, nuclear power plants convert the energy released from nuclear fission.
  • A possible nuclear fission chain reaction.

• The Atomic Bomb

  • Atomic bombs are nuclear weapons that use the energetic output of nuclear fission to produce massive explosions.
  • Atomic bombs are nuclear weapons that use the energetic output of nuclear fission to produce massive explosions.
  • Atomic bombs are made up of a fissile element, such as uranium, that is enriched in the isotope that can sustain a fission nuclear chain reaction.
  • Fission can be self-sustaining because it produces more neutrons with the speed required to cause new fissions.
  • In fission weapons, a mass of fissile material, either enriched uranium or plutonium, is assembled into a supercritical mass—the amount of material needed to start an exponentially growing nuclear chain reaction.

• The Hydrogen Bomb

  • The hydrogen bomb is a nuclear weapon that uses a mixture of fission and fusion to produce a massive explosion.
  • A thermonuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon designed to use the heat generated by a fission bomb to compress a nuclear fusion stage.
  • After this, the secondary explosive is compressed by X-rays coming from the nuclear fission of the primary explosive.
  • The only two nuclear weapons that have been used were both fission-based.
  • The nuclear fusion releases neutrons much faster than a fission reaction, and these neutrons then bombard the remaining fissile fuel, causing it to undergo fission much more rapidly.

• Nuclear Weapons

  • A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions—either fission, fusion, or a combination.
  • A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion.
  • The first fission (i.e., "atomic") bomb test released the same amount of energy as approximately 20,000 tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT).
  • On August 6, 1945, a uranium gun-type fission bomb code-named "Little Boy" was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
  • Only three days later a plutonium implosion-type fission bomb code-named "Fat Man" (as illustrated in ) was exploded over Nagasaki, Japan.

• Nuclear Weapons

  • The proliferation of nuclear weapons, explosive devices which derive force from nuclear reactions, is a key challenge of foreign policy.
  • The proliferation of nuclear weapons, explosive devices which derive their destructive force from nuclear reactions (either fission or a combination of fission and fusion), is an important challenge of foreign policy.
  • On August 6, 1945, a uranium gun-type fission bomb was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
  • Three days later, on August 9, a plutonium implosion-type fission bomb was exploded over Nagasaki, Japan.
  • By the 1960s, steps were being taken to limit both the proliferation of nuclear weapons to other countries and the environmental effects of nuclear testing.

• Nuclear Fusion

  • In nuclear fusion two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speed and join, forming a new nucleus.
  • The sun is a main-sequence star and therefore generates its energy through nuclear fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium.
  • Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speed and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus.
  • Accelerated to high speeds, they can overcome this electrostatic repulsion and be forced close enough for the attractive nuclear force to be sufficiently strong to achieve fusion.
  • Analyze possibility of the use of nuclear fusion for the production of electricity.

• Nuclear Binding Energy and Mass Defect

  • This energy—available as nuclear energy—can be used to produce nuclear power or build nuclear weapons.
  • Nuclear binding energy is also used to determine whether fission or fusion will be a favorable process.
  • Elements heavier than iron-56 will generally release energy upon fission, as the lighter elements produced contain greater nuclear binding energy.
  • As such, there is a peak at iron-56 on the nuclear binding energy curve.
  • Calculate the mass defect and nuclear binding energy of an atom