A fission reaction involves the splitting of atomic nuclei into two or more parts after colliding with a free neutron. Uranium is the only natural element that can easily be split. The small particless of the nuclei that split, travel at an incredible speed and collide with other uranium nuclei causing them to split. This process causes a chain reaction creating heat from the kinetic energy of the quickly moving particles. The heat is used to convert water to steam which turns a turbine which turns a generator and creates electricity.
An example of nuclear fission is the chain reaction: n+u = Kr+Ba+3n, where the capture of a neutron (n) by an uranium nucleus (U) leads to a break-up (Fission) of the uranium into the two nuclei of krypton (Kr) and barium (Ba) and the release of three neutrons (3n).
No comments:
Post a Comment