HELP ME! I don't understand nuclear fission!!?

Question

Hi, sorry about this, it's just i'm revising, and I don't understand nuclear fission.

Apparently I have to know how you can get energy from nuclear fission. I know what it is, and i know how it work etc, but i don't get the nuclear reactor/obtaining energy part.

Please can someone help me?!?!

Answer 1

Neither do I dear - I shouldn't worry about it though ! ! !

Answer 2

Think you need to consider fusion first. If you 'bang' together relatively light nuclides at energies sufficient to overcome the electric force, the much stronger nuclear force at ranges <10^-15m predominates, resulting in a 'bound' system whose energy is less than that of the unbound states of the particles. If this energy is released as gamma radiation (say) then the overall mass of the system decreases (E=delta(m)c^2). If you imagine this process accumulating by the successive accretion of nuclides, eventually the compound nucleus becomes of such size that the coulomb force starts to compete with the nuclear force due to range (>=10^-15m)
This apparently reaches a TV at about A=60 and then starts to diminish as a function of binding energy per nucleon. The range is about 8.5Mev/nucleon at A=60 down to about 7.5Mev/nucleon at A=200 or so. The result is, if you can trigger a 'splitting' or fission say using a neutron to create instability in the 'parent' nuclide (A=200 say), then the total binding energy of the 'daughter' nuclides is actually greater than the binding energy of the 'parent'
Say the binding energy of the parent (A=200) nucleus =7.5Mev/nucleon and the binding energy of each of the daughters (A=100)=8Mev/nucleon, then the net release of binding energy would be 2x100x8-200x7.5=100Mev
These are v. approx figures for clarity's sake and do not take into account accurate values of BE/nucleon or the asymnetry of the possible fission product masses. Should be about 200Mev/fission event.

Answer 3

It has to do with nuclear binding energy. Some heavy nuclei will split into two lighter nuclei if they encounter a free neutron and capture it. The neutron triggers this by transmuting the nucleus into a highly unstable isotope which disintegrates quickly (fissions). The resultant nuclei (called "daughters") are more tightly bound, so lots of energy is given off as they form in the form of high kinetic energy particles. From some nuclei, these particles include a few new neutrons. If there are enough other heavy nuclei around, those neutrons can trigger at least one other fission, on average, resulting in a chain reaction.

Answer 4

nuclear fission is a process wherein an element disintegrates into particles that have lower atomic numbers than the parent particle. for example uranium 236 will disintegrate into barium 131 and krypton 92 and the corresponding energy that holds them is released. you know that the energy that holds the particle together into a whole is so huge that when the process occurs, a tremendous energy, in the form of heat, is released. the power of the sun is also a fission process.

in nuclear reactors, this heat is used to convert water into steam which drives the turbines, and the rotation of the turbine is converted into mechanical energy. the mechanical energy is used to generate magnetism and from the pinciple of electricity, it's either that electricity induces magnetism or magnets induce electricity.

because it is the electricity that we need, it is the magnetism that converts the mechanical energy from the steam into electricity.

Answer 5

Atom nuclei are build from protons and neutrons. To make atoms larger than Iron requires more and more energy to keep these building blocks together.

This means that if you split a large atom like Uranium, energy is liberated. This energy is taken away by the break-up parts, usually two smaller atoms and a few neutrons. By collisions the neutrons lose energy which finally ends up as heat in the water that surrounds the reactor.

The water turns into steam which can be used to make a turbine produce electricity.

Answer 6

Fission is the process of splitting the nucleus of a radioactive element using a bombarding neutron. When the nucleus splits, a tremendous amount of energy is produced in the form of heat. This heat energy is used to boil water, convert it to steam. The steam is then used to move the turbines of a generator, which will convert the motion (mechanical energy) of the turbine to electrical energy.

Answer 7

You get energy from nuclear fission because one of the products of the reaction is heat. you can then convert the heat into electricity by various complicated means.

Answer 8

Atoms breakdown creating heat. This boils water or sodium or some other exotic stuff turning a turban creating electricity.

Answer 9

It is a type of process in which 1 big atom divides and split into two lighter nuclei.

Answer 10

It's not that difficult.. you need to find an atom and whack it with a hammer

Answer 11

Blimey, I don't even know why the light goes off when I close the fridge door.