How can a small amount of matter, used in nuclear fusion or fission, produce so much energy?

Question

Its like striking a match, and blowing up a house as a result!

Answer 1

In nuclear fission, an atom (uranium or plutonium) is split, creating two separate atoms and releasing some number of neutrons, which go flying off and hitting other atoms.

In nuclear fusion, two hydrogen molecules are smooshed together to create helium.

The energy released is so great because of "binding energy," which is the force that holds atoms together at the nucleus. In the case of fission, releasing that neutron or those neutrons also releases all of the energy that was required to hold those neutrons in place. In the case of fusion, the energy required to hold the 2 protons in helium together is less than the amount of energy that each individual proton brings to the party.

In either case, you get a great big kablooey.

Answer 2

Yes it comes from E=MC^2 or better the change in E = the change in m * c^2. So in a nuclear reaction take the total mass of all the products and subtract from it the total mass of the reactants and this will give you the amount of energy absorbed. (if the result is negative energy is released).

I would like to point out that this energy IS DUE TO THE STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE. This is the force that holds the protons and neutrons together inside an atom. The E&M forces are responsible for the energies released in chemical reactons but NOT nuclear reactions

Answer 3

Essentially there are forces that you and I are not familiar with from everyday experience that operate within the atom.
Consider two magnets. It is weird to hold two off them together and feel the resulting force: it is a force that we are not used to. You can't really explain it. It just is. The force involved in a nuclear reaction is actually the same force: the electromagnetic force.

Super simplistic explanation: imagine the most powerful repulsive magnets ever created tied together by an even stronger rope. Cut the rope - what happens?

Nuclear reaction: an unfathomable number of the above little magnetic bombs being cut essentially at the same time. Stand back.


(nuclear reaction is a bit of a misnomer: it comes from the fact that the nucleus changes in an atomic reaction, but not from the nuclear forces, which are the forces that we're not familiar with from every day experience that tie the magnets together. )

Answer 4

I just read somewhere, I think Wikipedia, that the total energy contained in a small apple could crack open the Earth if released instantaneously. More like striking a match and taking out a city. In a nuclear explosion, only .03% of the mass of plutonium is converted into energy.

Answer 5

E=MC2 baby,..... Thanks to Einstein.