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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry Forum => Topic started by: just curious111 on March 28, 2006, 11:02:47 PM

Title: how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: just curious111 on March 28, 2006, 11:02:47 PM

Hi, I was wondering  how does nuclear fission produce energy or in the case of a nuclear bomb an explosion?

Title: Re:how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: ATMyller on March 29, 2006, 03:42:21 AM

Nuclear fission is a process in nuclear physics in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei as fission products, and usually some by-product particles. Hence, fission is a form of elemental transmutation. The by-products include free neutrons, photons usually in the form gamma rays, and other nuclear fragments such as beta particles and alpha particles. Fission of heavy elements is an exothermic reaction and can release substantial amounts of useful energy both as gamma rays and as kinetic energy of the fragments.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
http://people.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb.htm

Title: Re:how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: constant thinker on March 29, 2006, 05:00:36 PM

Those 2 links are good. Try this one also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fission

As ATMyller said, nuclear fission involves the breaking of a nucleus. There is a tremendous amount of energy stored in the nucleus just holding it together.

Title: Re:how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: just curious111 on March 31, 2006, 11:41:55 PM

ahh i see thank you for replying

Title: Re: how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: Smog on October 30, 2006, 02:41:05 PM

this will so help my paper about fission and fusion bombs :)
Great forum

Title: Re: how does nuclear fission work?
Post by: constant thinker on October 30, 2006, 07:27:31 PM

Glad you think so. If you have other questions/need help post new topics. Just make sure you follow the forum policy.