Because usually during nuclear fission the nucleas is being split by colliding with a another unstable particle like a neutron, and in this case absorbing the neutron to become a more unstable nucleaus with a higher mass, for instance uranium 235 colliding with a neutron and becoming a unstable 236 neutron. After this the uranium 236 splits apart and becomes to separate nuclea and in the process neutrons are released, as gamma radiation. This produces a massive amount of energy because the energy that has bound the protons together in the nucleus, ( protons repel each other) is very strong, so the potential energy in that state is massive. And once released...well. BOOM
Heavy water (deuterium) functions as a moderator. It slows down fast neutrons released by fission reactions in order to allow the reaction to be sustained. Fast neutrons pass through the reactor before initiating another fission reaction.
Hydrogen is used in nuclear fission as a moderator to slow down neutrons produced during the fission process, making them more likely to interact with other fissile nuclei to sustain the chain reaction. Water containing hydrogen atoms, such as heavy water (deuterium oxide) or light water (H2O), is commonly used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.
This is nuclear fission. The Uranium 235 atom splits and forms 2 new elements (plus the extra neutrons).
Fission is the splitting of a nucleus into two parts which form two other nuclei. In fission of uranium-235 or plutonium-239, as well as the formation of the two other nuclei, extra neutrons are released. This is basically due to the fact that the heavier nuclei like uranium have an excess of neutrons over protons, so when lighter elements are formed there are neutrons left over. Each fission of uranium-235 releases on average 2.5 neutrons (you can talk of average yield because the split can happen in a number of different ways). Some of these will be absorbed in the reactor material or escape the core boundary, but provided one neutron from each fission is captured by another U-235 nucleus, there will be a continuing chain reaction. The reactor has to be managed so that this just continues, at a steady constant rate, this is done by control with neutron absorbing control rods which can be raised or lowered.
In general, however, a nuclear fission reaction involves the fissioning (or splitting) of heavy atoms (heavy, as in greater than lead, due to the binding energy curve), which results in release of some of the binding energy that was used to sustain the un-fissioned combination. Also, depending on which nuclide is fissioned, extra neutrons result, and these neutrons can (under the right conditions) go on to fission more atoms, in a process called criticality, or, simply, a nuclear fission chain reaction.
Large amount of energy and extra neutrons are released
The process which describes the splitting of a large unstable atom into two intermediate size atoms and extra neutrons is called nuclear fission. Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction or a radioactive decay process.
Heavy water (deuterium) functions as a moderator. It slows down fast neutrons released by fission reactions in order to allow the reaction to be sustained. Fast neutrons pass through the reactor before initiating another fission reaction.
Fission to be more specific its nuclear fission...
Nuclear fission
Hydrogen is used in nuclear fission as a moderator to slow down neutrons produced during the fission process, making them more likely to interact with other fissile nuclei to sustain the chain reaction. Water containing hydrogen atoms, such as heavy water (deuterium oxide) or light water (H2O), is commonly used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.
This is nuclear fission. The Uranium 235 atom splits and forms 2 new elements (plus the extra neutrons).
Fission is the splitting of a nucleus into two parts which form two other nuclei. In fission of uranium-235 or plutonium-239, as well as the formation of the two other nuclei, extra neutrons are released. This is basically due to the fact that the heavier nuclei like uranium have an excess of neutrons over protons, so when lighter elements are formed there are neutrons left over. Each fission of uranium-235 releases on average 2.5 neutrons (you can talk of average yield because the split can happen in a number of different ways). Some of these will be absorbed in the reactor material or escape the core boundary, but provided one neutron from each fission is captured by another U-235 nucleus, there will be a continuing chain reaction. The reactor has to be managed so that this just continues, at a steady constant rate, this is done by control with neutron absorbing control rods which can be raised or lowered.
In general, however, a nuclear fission reaction involves the fissioning (or splitting) of heavy atoms (heavy, as in greater than lead, due to the binding energy curve), which results in release of some of the binding energy that was used to sustain the un-fissioned combination. Also, depending on which nuclide is fissioned, extra neutrons result, and these neutrons can (under the right conditions) go on to fission more atoms, in a process called criticality, or, simply, a nuclear fission chain reaction.
This is the first step of the nuclear fission. Uranium 235 is very unstable but when an extra neutron is added the atom gets aggravated, making the atom burst creating elements and three other neutrons. These three neutrons hit other atoms, starting a very big chain reaction, and finally producing huge amounts of energy.
Nuclear fission in U-235 and Pu-239 produces heat which is then used to raise steam and generate electricity. In fact the fission process is most efficient with slow neutrons rather than fast ones, which is why reactors have a moderator (light or heavy water or graphite). Induced radioactivity by exposure to fast neutrons is a different matter, material in the reactor like the control rods or the pressure vessel itself do become radioactive because they are as you say bombarded with neutrons, but this radioactivity only produces a trivial amount of extra heat from the reactor. In small reactors not built for power production samples of various substances can be irradiated to make radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial use. In this type of reactor the heat from the fission process is generally thrown away to atmosphere, it might typically be a few megawatts.
ReactorA diagram of a fission reaction The reactor is where the reaction takes place. Nuclear reactors use nuclear fission, which breaks the nucleus of a uranium atom into smaller pieces, freeing neutrons in the process. The freed neutrons break other nuclei into smaller pieces, which free further neutrons. The movement of the neutrons generates heat.Control RodsControl rods are made of a substance, such as graphite or cadmium, that absorbs extra neutrons. Since the movement of the neutrons causes the reaction, absorbing the extra neutrons slows down the reaction.Steam GeneratorThe heat from the nuclear reaction is used to heat massive amounts of water in the steam generator. Inside the steam generator are bundles of tubes that keep the water from boiling, allowing it to superheat.Turbines and GeneratorThe superheated water from the steam generator turns turbines. The turbines then operate the generator, which creates the electricity.Cooling TowerThe best-known, and most-visible, part of a nuclear power plant is the cooling tower. In the cooling tower, water is cooled down to be used again.