Try www.world-nuclear.org
Fission of usually Uranium
No. it is an example of nuclear fission (splitting of nucleus).
That is nuclear fission. An example is that of a Uranium-239 atom undergoing beta decay. That is, a neutron in the nucleus ejects and electron, becoming a proton, resulting in Uranium-239 becoming Neptunium-239.
Uranium has stored energy (potential energy), more specifically, nuclear energy.
Nuclear weapons are powered by either enriched uranium or plutonium. These materials undergo nuclear fission reactions in which their atoms split, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the form of an explosion.
Uranium is fairly easy to obtain, and the 235 isotope can be separated or increased, which is the fissile one. The only alternative is plutonium, and that has to be separated out from used uranium fuel. In some countries, but not the US, this has been done and a mixed uranium/plutonium fuel produced.
Elements that have greater atomic masses then uranium are created using nuclear fission.
Uranium enrichment.
Yes, uranium needs to be enriched in order to be used in a nuclear reactor. Enrichment increases the concentration of uranium-235, the isotope necessary for sustained nuclear reactions in most reactors. Natural uranium is primarily composed of uranium-238, which needs to be converted to uranium-235 through enrichment processes.
Uranium-235 is actually used in fission reactions, not fusion reactions. Uranium-235 is used in nuclear fission reactors because it is fissile, meaning it can undergo fission when bombarded by neutrons, releasing energy in the process. Fusion reactions, on the other hand, involve the merging of light atomic nuclei to form heavier ones, typically using isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium.
Uranium or plutonium is enriched to create to create a core capable of nuclear fusion and fission.