[3] Nuclear Fission Read it.

[Baniboy 3]

This is a topic intended for those interested in physics/science/whateveryouwannacallit.

Nuclear fission is the opposite of nuclear fusion, where chemicals fuse together to make a heavier chemical element. In fission, energy is released by the chemical elements becoming unstable and braking into lighter elements.

 

For fission to occur, we need isotopes like ²³⁵Uranium(the super-script "235" is the mass of the atom). Then a free neutron. After we have those, here's how it works:

The neutron collides with the nucleus of the isotope.

The Uranium 235 absorbs the slow moving neutron. The neutron can also be a fast one. Uranium can do both, some elements can't. Elements able to break apart by colliding with a slow neutron are called fissile.

The nucleus becomes unstable and breaks apart into multiple atoms. Energy is released, photons(in the form of gamma rays) and kinetic energy(thermal). The amount of energy released is calculated with this calculation: E=mc²

If the nucleus also releases free neutron(s) as a fission product, the process is self-sustaining as the new neutrons can collide with other isotopes.

Now let's take a closer look at what happened and why.

In the last chapter, I told you about the electrostatic and nuclear force/strong interaction. They play a role in this nuclear reaction as well.

The reason why heavier nuclei are easier brake apart is because the nucleus is so big that the binding forces don't apply in longer distances, so the nucleus isn't as tight as for example Helium's nucleus. What's happening is the electrostatic forces are ripping the nucleus apart. This obviously doesn't happen because the nuclear force is still keeping them in place. Like this:(excuse me graphic skillz, me do it in 10 minute )

 

Note: this is a fictional nucleus. Just to make sure no smart*** points out that the nucleus in the picture should contain neutrons. I know.

 

The is also another type of fission, radioactive decay. This is when the elements decay by themselves because they are unstable. This is what I ripped off wikipedia (hehe):

Radioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus spontaneously loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation. This decay, or loss of energy, results in an atom of one type, called the parent nuclide transforming to an atom of a different type, named the daughter nuclide. For example: a carbon-14 atom (the "parent") emits radiation and transforms to a nitrogen-14 atom (the "daughter"). This is a stochastic process on the atomic level, in that it is impossible to predict when a given atom will decay, but given a large number of similar atoms the decay rate, on average, is predictable.

For some pictures and examples of fission(and fusion), search wikipedia.

 

/offtopic: The content I have published here, do I give my copyrights to Xisto? For example, can I copy paste some of my own articles/tutorials to my own site, if I write them here first?

 

Thanks for reading.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Baniboy (see edit history)

[Nameless_ 1]

I must say though... this topic doesn't really give much room for discussion, because you're so pro and everything, and there aren't controversial topics that can start a debate or an argument or anything...But yes, you CAN use the information that you have written here on your own tutorial and website, or course... unless you copied everything off another site, which of course you obviously haven't done at all...I'm not sure if you can copy and paste something from your website and post it here on Xisto, however. I got told off for reposting my introduction posts for new members, and even after I personalised them I still got told off... So... yeah...You should go and check with the moderators with this, though I really don't know why you can't. I mean, if you site gets popular and everything, and someone searches for your article, they will be as likely to find you site as well as Xisto, bringing more traffic in.Well, why not???(Ask the mods and admins first, of course)

[Baniboy 3]

I must say though... this topic doesn't really give much room for discussion, because you're so pro and everything, and there aren't controversial topics that can start a debate or an argument or anything...
But yes, you CAN use the information that you have written here on your own tutorial and website, or course... unless you copied everything off another site, which of course you obviously haven't done at all...

I'm not sure if you can copy and paste something from your website and post it here on Xisto, however. I got told off for reposting my introduction posts for new members, and even after I personalised them I still got told off...
So... yeah...

You should go and check with the moderators with this, though I really don't know why you can't. I mean, if you site gets popular and everything, and someone searches for your article, they will be as likely to find you site as well as Xisto, bringing more traffic in.

Well, why not???
(Ask the mods and admins first, of course)

Yea you're probably right. But if someone wants to ask/talk about something, I'll answer. I write this stuff because I don't have much to post about nowadays. Almost all my posts are short(like this). In fact, I'm purposely making my post longer by rambling like this. However the last 2 topics I've written about fusion and fission have become a little shorter than I expected them to be, so i think I'll add more stuff to them later.

I'll just check the TOS for the copyrights question.

Thanks for reading and replying!

[Nameless_ 1]

No worries... :lol:Yeah, I agree... Xisto is starting to become a little bland with no good topics to write about... and that's not really a rambling... well, maybe to you, but my posts are usually longer, and half the page are with with my ramblings of occasionally going off topic now and then and then recollecting my thoughts together to finish my post. :PI don't think it's short at all though. People don't like very long article at all... like me, and I prefer short to long, as long as they have the same amount of information on them.

[The Simpleton 2]

Fission...hmm I remember having that during school - was an interesting topic but I didn't having to remember all the numbers involved and maybe that's why I left the subject as soon as I could Theoretically it's interesting...how such small particles can create devastating effects and all, but to go into it practically takes a lot of will power and determination!

[Baniboy 3]

power and determination indeed, since I don't remember anyone having made a "homemade fission reactor" :(You reminded me of the times when radioactivity entered into the science field. Hah, it was crazy! They were selling people radioactive water and radioactive cups for better health! I saw a document on the subject, it was hilarious lol(caused many cancer cases tho, that's sad and not hilarious). They had some kind of box in shoe stores where people could put their feet inside and could see their own bones with x-rays! obviously not so healthy Ahh... the good old days where gamma rays were considered healthy...