Write a note on nuclear fission

Observe an animation of sequential events in the fission of a uranium nucleus by a neutron Many isotopes of uranium can undergo fission, but uranium-235, which is found naturally at a ratio of about one part per every 139 parts of the isotope uranium-238, undergoes fission more readily and emits more neutrons per fission than other such isotopes. Plutonium-239 has these same qualities. These are the primary fissionable materials used in atomic bombs. A small amount of uranium-235, say 0.45 kg (1 pound), cannot undergo a chain reaction and is thus termed a subcritical mass; this is because, on average, the neutrons released by a fission are likely to leave the assembly without striking another nucleus and causing it to fission. If more uranium-235 is added to the assemblage, the chances that one of the released neutrons will cause another fission are increased, since the escaping neutrons must

Unlike Röntgen's discovery, which was the object of widespread curiosity from scientists and lay people alike for the ability of X-rays to make visible the bones within the human body, Becquerel's discovery made little impact at the time, and Becquerel himself soon moved on to other research. In 1898, Protactinium [ ] The work was interrupted by the outbreak of the Most of the students, laboratory assistants and technicians had been called up, so Hahn, who was stationed in Berlin between January and September of 1917, Die Muttersubstanz des Actiniums; ein neues radioaktives Element von langer Lebensdauer. Although Fajans and Göhring had been the first to discover the element, custom required that an element was represented by its longest-lived and most abundant isotope, and brevium did not seem appropriate. Fajans agreed to Meitner and Hahn naming the element For their discovery Hahn and Meitner were repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in the 1920s by several scientists, among them Max Planck, Transmutation [ ] 14 7N + 4 2He → 17 8O + p This was the first observation of a 9 4Be + 4 2He → 12 6C + n 27 13Al + 4 2He → 30 15P + n which then decays to a stable isotope of 30 15P → 30 14Si + e + They noted that radioactivity continued after the neutron emissions ceased. Not only had they discovered a new form of radioactive decay in the form of Chadwick noted that being electrically neutral, neutrons would be able to penetrate the nucleus more easily than proton...

Solution In a process in which nucleus of a heavy atom (such as uranium, plutonium or thorium) can be split into lighter nuclei when bombarded with low-energy neutrons is called nucler fission. A tremendous amount of energy is released. During this, if the mass of the original nucleus is just a little more than the sum of the masses of the individual products. The fission of an atom of uranium produces 10 million times energy produced by the combustion of an atom of carbon from coal. Nuclear fuel releases energy at a controlled rate through self sustaining fission chain reaction in a nuclear reactor designed for electric power generation. The released energy can be used to produce steam and further generate electricity.

Nuclear Fission GT-MHR is a nuclear fission power reactor design under development by a group of Russian enterprises (OKBM Afrikantov, Kurchatov Institute, VNIINM, and others), an American group headed by General Atomics, French Framatome, and Japanese Fuji Electric. From: Comprehensive Energy Systems, 2018 Related terms: • Energy Engineering • Uranium • Plutonium • Nuclear Power Plant • Nuclear Energy • Neutrons • Electric Potential • Nuclear Reactor Nuclear Fission Matthew Gill, ... Aiden Peakman, in Future Energy (Second Edition), 2014 Nuclear fission has been exploited in electricity production for over half a century and is increasingly seen as an essential secure source of low-carbon energy for the future energy mix worldwide. The majority of present nuclear power is based on uranium/plutonium fuels in light water reactors. However, these are relatively inefficient, especially if the irradiated fuel is treated as waste, rather than recycled. Other reactor and fuel cycle concepts may offer much more efficient utilisation of fuel, enable the exploitation of alternative fuel resources such as thorium and the utilisation of nuclear energy for purposes other than electricity generation. Read more Nuclear Fission Paul Breeze, in Nuclear Power, 2017 Fusion Basics Nuclear fusion, like nuclear fission, can provide energy from mass. In the case of fusion, this energy is released when very light atoms are turned into slightly heavier, but more stable atoms. Since the primary pr...