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Radioactive particles blown through the air after nuclear explosions?
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∙ 12y ago
Fallout.
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∙ 12y ago
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How is a nuclear transformation performed?
Nuclear transformation is the change of one nucleus into another. Nuclei transform themselves through radioactive decay. They can be combined or split by fusion or fission. They can also be transformed through high energy collisions.
Can an improperly operated nuclear power plant explode like a nuclear weapon?
Nuclear reactors can not explode like a nuclear bomb. A lot of bad things can happen, but that is not one of them. Nonnuclear Explosion: First, it is useful to distinguish "normal" explosion from nuclear bomb. (We'll get to the bomb part shortly.) Explosions of many kinds can occur and they can occur at nuclear power plants and reactors just as anywhere else. It is not odd to have a steam powered explosion at a power plant whether it is nuclear or coal or gas because all of these types of power plants are converting heat into mechnical energy through a trubine or similar machine and the turbine generates electricity. The heat creates steam at high pressure and a mechanical failure can result in an explosion. An explosion of the sort caused by excess heat or mechanical failure counts as one resulting from mismanagement. Explosions can be caused by humans too. A human can place a regular bomb at a nuclear power plant or a human can fire a missile at a power plant and then the power plant, nuclear or not, explodes. Nuclear Bomb Explosions: The principle behind a nuclear bomb is the idea of the chain reaction. Nuclear fission is the process of a large nucleus, like uranium, breaking apart into smaller pieces and releasing energy in the process. When one nucleus decays, it causes other nuclei to decay and they in turn cause more. Such is a chain reaction, it feeds itself and the process grows and results in an explosion as long as there is enough fuel. That last part is the key because you can't make a nuclear bomb explode (or any bomb) if you run out of fuel. Now, we get to the part about "weapons grade" nuclear material. A nuclear weapon requires a high concentration of fissionable material of the proper type and enough of it and a way to keep it in place long enough for the chain reaction to produce enough energy to be a bomb. Nuclear reactors are not built with weapons grade material. That is essential. Further, the elaborate process of containment to hold the bomb material in place requires special engineering and that is not in a nuclear reactor. The quantity of material required for a bomb is very very large unless it is highly purified and it is not so purified in nuclear reactors. No mismanaged nuclear plant, no nuclear plant accident of any kind, can cause a massive nuclear explosion like the blast of a nuclear weapon. Nuclear Powered (non-bomb) Explosions: Though a reactor can't explode like a nuclear bomb, the explosions that can occur are extremely dangerous and can spew radioactive materials widely, they are just not nuclear bomb explosions. Usually the explosions allow the radioactive core of reacting material to overheat and the radioactive material from several separate areas may combine and further heat, enhancing the ongoing nuclear chain reactions. It is not possible to go through explanations of the various scenarios, but under the worst conditions, the heated material explodes like a regular bomb and spreads itself over a large area destroying everything nearby. It is not nearly as large as a true nuclear bomb which can level a city. What is does do is spead a lot of radioactive material around. The process does not even have to explode to do that, it can just heat up enough to vaporize radioactive materials that are then released. All of the examples of nuclear reactor disasters fall into the category on non-bomb disasters. All were and will be the type that creates and disperses harmful radioactive material and that is the core of the problem. Final Note: Though no sane design of a nuclear reactor could explode like a nuclear bomb, the process of making the materials the reactor uses is a process that could potentially make weapons grade material. Further, the used fuel can serve as a starting material for bomb making. In that case, it is not the reactor but the treatment of material before or after that can be directed towards a weapon. The subject gets very complicated and this little description could not provide a person with enough information to say they understand it. More reading is recommended.
How can radioactive decay change one element into another?
When one element goes through radio active decay, it looses some alpha , beta particles and also neutrons so considering those things we should reduce number of alpha , beta and also neutrons lost by the element. from that we have to decide the element which occur after radio active decay.
Why are explosions loud?
because they have micro particles that respond to the cells in the explosion that bounce off of each other... Actually, because explosions MOVE air, and your body, it's ears, detect moving air as SOUND. The moving air, in explosions, is moving at several times the speed of Hurricanes, and close to the explosion, thousands of feet per second. Explosions also produce shock waves, that are basically sound waves that travel through the ground, air, and water.
Does steam from nuclear cooling towers have radioactive elements?
No. The water going through the cooling towers is not in contact with the fuel, often by three levels of separation. The steam is only condensation.
How are isotopes are formed?
Isotopes are formed either naturally through radioactive decay of elements or artificially through element irradiation by particles as neutrons, protons, electrons, or alpha particles in accelerators or nuclear reactors through nuclear fission or nuclear fusion reactions in nuclear reactors.supernovasparticle acceleratorsnuclear reactorsnuclear explosionsradioactive decay
Why can't we hear nuclear explosions from the sun?
We cannot hear the explosions from the sun as sound cannot travel through a vacuum, and the sound would have to travel through one to reach the Earth.
What element is a radioactive element?
The radioactive element is composed of unstable nuclei that try to reach stability through emitting nuclear radiations as alpha, beta, and gamma nuclear radiations.
What is a nuclear resource?
A nuclear resource is a special element that is ran through a nuclear reactor to power or propel and object. It is an object that appears as if it is radioactive or made from a nuclear element ran through reactors or still running .
Which of the three radioactive particles can go through matter the best?
Gamma radiation if that's what you mean.
What passes through the nuclear envelope?
Polar molecules, ions, proteins, and RNA can pass through the nuclear envelope. The smaller particles pass freely while the larger particles can only travel in one direction.
What is the slow breakdown of radioactive substances into more stable elements?
Radioactive elements break down in to stable isotopes through nuclear decay. The list of isotopes from a nuclear isotope to a stable isotope is called its decay chain.
What happens if the fukushima plant explodes?
Actually, at the time this question was written, the plant had already undergone three explosions. According to the New York Times, nuclear fuel was thrown about 1.6 km (1 mile) from the plant, and the ground in the are was made radioactive. The reactor containment vessels failed sufficiently to leak large amounts of radioactive material into the sea. Later the water coming from the reactors and spent fuel pools was contained in storage tanks. Windborn radioactive material has been carried to various places near the plant, requiring about 100000 people to be evacuated. You should understand, however, that the explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi plant were not nuclear in nature, even though they did through radioactive material around. They were caused when an air-hydrogen mix in the reactor buildings ignited and exploded.
How do nuclear weapons differ from other weapons?
Lots more power per pound, and radioactive waste products. Most conventional weapons use chemical reactions to release energy and cause explosions. Such weapons would include those that use gun power, TNT, plastic explosives, etc. With a nuclear weapon, large amounts of energy are released through a nuclear fission (atomic bomb) or the fusion reaction between isotopes of hydrogen (thermonuclear bomb).
How is a nuclear transformation performed?
Nuclear transformation is the change of one nucleus into another. Nuclei transform themselves through radioactive decay. They can be combined or split by fusion or fission. They can also be transformed through high energy collisions.
What date did American above-ground nuclear explosions happen?
Many of them occurred starting on July 16, 1945 (Trinity) and continuing through 1963. Can you be more specific?
What does transmutation involve?
Transmutation of elements refers to the conversion of one chemical element into another. This occurs in nuclear reactions or through radioactive decay.
