How do you harness all that energy from one atom of uranium?

Answer 1

Uranium produces so much energy because the strong force is the most powerful force, on the subatomic scale, in the universe.

This is a simplified explanation...

The strong force holds quarks together to form protons and neutrons. At this distance, it is 100 times more powerful than the electromagnetic force which would tend to cause like charged particles to repel each other.

Leftover from the strong force that forms protons and neutrons is the residual binding energy that holds protons and neutrons together within the atomic nucleus. The residual binding energy, also known as the nuclear force, is somewhat less than 100 times the electromagnetic force. However, at distances greater than a proton or neutron, it starts to weaken and be in competition with the electromagnetic force, causing instability in nuclei that are heavier than lead. This instability, however, is not really applicable to the question and its answer, other than to say that it causes radioactive instability, so I will leave it at that.

What is essential to understand, for this question, is that there is an energy to nucleon curve that basically states how much energy is required to hold a nucleon in a certain state. This curve starts off low with hydrogen-1, and increases with Atomic Mass, up to a peak value around iron-56, and then gradually decreases up through and beyond uranium. There is a peak at helium-4, and then a step change down, followed by a return to the increasing energy through iron but, again, that is not applicable to this question, so I will leave it alone as well.

As a result of this curve, which is decreasing by the time we reach uranium, if you were to fission (split) a uranium atom into two parts, the binding energy required to sustain that configuration would be less than the original energy required to sustain the original uranium.

This excess energy, also known as a mass deficit, is released when fission of heavy nucleons occurs. That is where the fission of uranium produces so much energy.

For a picture of the energy curve, please see the Related Link below.

Answer 2

Uranium-235 is able to support a nuclear fission with thermal neutrons. The enormous energy released by the nuclear fission can be converted in electricity and heat in nuclear power plants.

Answer 3

Energy is harnessed from uranium through a process called nuclear fission, where the nucleus of a uranium atom is split into smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat is used to produce steam, which drives turbines connected to generators that produce electricity.

Answer 4

You create an unstable nucleus by firing an extra nucleon at it, then it breaks down into 2 smaller nuclei. Then they hit other nuclei, which hit other nuclei and everything just goes whammy.

Answer 5

through a process called a fission chain reaction

Answer 6

In order to make energy from uranium you have to split the atoms in the element.

Answer 7

The nuclear fission of uranium release a formidable quantity of energy.

Answer 8

The spliting of it.