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In nuclear reactors do neutrons travel faster than the speed of light and if so what about the theory of relativity according to which nothing can travel faster than the speed of light?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
No, the neutrons produced in nuclear reactors don't travel anywhere near the speed of light. Let's look at this a bit. In the "standard" fission reactor, fissile nuclear fuel is "started up" and the neutron chain reaction begins. Neutrons are produced during atomic fission events, and these neutrons are sometimes called "fission energy" or "prompt" or "fast" neutrons. They are the free neutrons that appear as the result of the fission event. And they're moving pretty darn quick when they're "blown out" of the fissioning nucleus. But they're not moving anywhere near the speed of light. The Boltzman distribution (a fancy way of speaking about the range of energies at which the fast neutrons appear), has a strong peak at close to 2 MeV (20 TJ/kg). That translates into a speed of 28,000 km/s. The speed of light is some 299,792 km/s as we've defined it, and that puts the speed of those fast neutrons at roughly 10% the speed of light.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
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What happens to mass as acceleration increases?
Nothing. The force increases but the mass is constant. However if it gets fast enough the mass will increase ever so slightly and get much higher near the speed of light, according to Einstein's theory of relativity. But at ordinary speeds there is insignificant change
What is the lightest subatomic particle of an atom?
electrons the smallest but weigh as much as protons neutrons weigh nothing ~Kay
When did Albert Einstein discover the theory of relativity?
Einstein's theory of special relativity, proposed in 1905, states that nothing in the universe can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum. !!!!! But researchers at the CERN lab near Geneva claim they have recorded neutrinos, a type of tiny particle, traveling faster than the barrier of 186,282 miles (299,792 kilometers) per second.!!!!! << major breakthrough.. Because we have based almost everything on his relativity E=MC^2
What did the theory of relativity do for science?
If anything, It gave a sort of "Universal speed limit" for all matter. That includes the "event wave" in front of a photon. Mathematically, nothing can travel faster than that.
Why was the theory of relativity invented?
It was invented when Albert Einstein realized that Universal Gravitation was incorrect. He realized that he needed to propose a theory which would resolve this problem. When Einstein completed Special Relativity, he formulated that nothing travel faster than the speed of light. However, Newtonian Gravitation stated that Gravity was an instantaneous force, therefore this was problematic. Thus Einstein worked on General Relativity to resolve this query by introducing spacetime distortion which result in the gravitational waves that travel at the speed of light.
What happens to neutrons after a covalent bond?
Nothing - neutrons take no part in bonding.
Are shunt reactors used in nuclear reactors?
Answer 1. The only shunt reactors I know are used on transmission lines to alter power factor. This is nothing to do with the nuclear reactor in a power plant.Answer 2. I agree. Shunt reactors are use on transmission line and EHV to boost voltage, to generate VARs and for power factor correction.
What does the theory of general relativity mean in plain language?
The theory of relativity is the theory that states that light moves at a certain speed, and nothing can move faster than it. It is physically impossible.
Which thing correlates general relativity with quantum mechanics?
nothing, they appear to contradict each other.
Can information travel faster than the speed of light?
According to the Theory of Relativity, nothing can go faster than the speed of light. And since light is information, it cannot go faster than the speed of light.
How many neutrons in NA plus 1?
2 Neutrons, WHY? NA=NOTHING 1=1 YES? The own neutron it is in = 1 the plus 1+1 = 2 neutrons
What is basic neutron of neural network?
Neural networks have nothing to do with neutrons.
What is keeping nuclear energy from being used?
Nothing, it is being widely used. 104 operating reactors in the US alone
What happens to mass as acceleration increases?
Nothing. The force increases but the mass is constant. However if it gets fast enough the mass will increase ever so slightly and get much higher near the speed of light, according to Einstein's theory of relativity. But at ordinary speeds there is insignificant change
What is the yellow fluid that remains in the neutrons after the blood is cleaned?
Neutrons are fundamental, sub atomic particles - they have nothing directly to do with blood. You question makes no sense.
The negative part of the atom?
The electrons. Protons are the positives and the neutrons are nothing. _______________________________________________________ The electrons carry negative charge. The protons carry positive charge. Neutrons have no charge.
Did scrodinger discover the neutrons?
He developed an equation from which one can derive the probability of an electron having a specific value for location or velocity. He had nothing whatsoever to do with the discovery of neutrons.
