235/92 U + 1/0 n ---> 140/52 Te + 94/40 Zr + 3 1/0 n + energy
This is one of those things where the answer depends on what you mean. The fusion of a deuterium atom and a tritium atom into a helium atom produces about 14.1 million electron volts (MeV). By comparison, the fission of a uranium atom produces about 202 MeV, making a fission event over 14 times as powerful as a fusion event. But we could looked at it another way. A uranium-238 atom as an atomic mass of about 238, and the 202 MeV come from that mass, providing a yield of about 0.82 MeV per unit mass. By contrast, the 14.1 MeV from one deuterium, with an atomic mass of about 2, and one tritium, with an atomic mass of about 3, so the yield is about 2.8 MeV per unit mass, which makes fusion over 3 times as powerful as fission per mass per event.
A device that splits atoms to produce energy is called a nuclear reactor. Nuclear reactors commonly split uranium-235 or plutonium-239. The heat is created mainly through: 1. An increase of the average kinetic energy of local atoms directly after fission 2. Gamma rays giving more energy to atoms 3. Radioactive decay which also creates heat
Splitting an atomic nucleus is atomic fission. Fusion is the fusing or "forcing together" of particles or lighter atomic nuclei that then "stick together" to form a heavier atomic nucleus. Use the links below to learn more.Apex= Fission (Ryan Mcaphee =] )
A large radioactive atom breaks into smaller atoms, producing nuclear energy.
If you're considering nuclear energy, then nuclear power is generated by nuclear fission, generally with radioactive bombardment. Basically, atoms are split into smaller components and release energy, and we use that to generate steam for electric power.
YES in a process known as NUCLEAR FISSION a high speed neuron hits a large fissionable atom's nuclear, such as U-235 (235 is the mass number), it splits into 2 new, smaller atoms + 2 high speed neutrons + ENERGY (which may go on to cause further fissions causing a chain reaction: Good for Bombs, but bad for fission reactors, so some neutrons are slowed down by a moderator substance)
Uranium-238 and Uranium-235 do not release neutrons spontaneously in nature in the same way they do during a fission process. Neutrons are typically required to initiate the fission process in nuclear reactions. In natural settings, radioactive decay processes such as alpha and beta decay occur in uranium isotopes, but not neutron release.
All useful nuclear energy produced on Earth comes from nuclear fission of U-235 and/or Pu-239, in a variety of different reactor designs. In the stars it comes from fusion of hydrogen, not fission.
Uranium contain 92 protons and electrons.The number of neutrons is 142 inU-234, 143 in U-235 and 146 in U-238.
We see uranium-235 (U-235) used in nuclear power plants because it can capture thermal neutrons fairly readily, and it will usually fission releasing more neutrons to continue the nuclear chain reaction.
Fission of fuel containing U-235 (or Pu-239) happens naturally when a critical assembly is put together, it does not have to be forced. There are a small number of spontaneous fissions going on all the time in these isotopes, so there is a source of neutrons always present, the trick is to make the neutron flux multiply up to a useful energy level, and this is essentially what a nuclear reactor does.
Fusion ocurs in the stars including our sun. I don't know of fission occurring naturally anywhere, but there is evidence it once did in a few places on earth a long time ago. At that time there would have been more U-235 which has now reduced by decay. It may occur elsewhere in the universe in planets like earth, but we have no way of knowing this. Natural nuclear fission: Oklo - please see the related link, below
This is one of those things where the answer depends on what you mean. The fusion of a deuterium atom and a tritium atom into a helium atom produces about 14.1 million electron volts (MeV). By comparison, the fission of a uranium atom produces about 202 MeV, making a fission event over 14 times as powerful as a fusion event. But we could looked at it another way. A uranium-238 atom as an atomic mass of about 238, and the 202 MeV come from that mass, providing a yield of about 0.82 MeV per unit mass. By contrast, the 14.1 MeV from one deuterium, with an atomic mass of about 2, and one tritium, with an atomic mass of about 3, so the yield is about 2.8 MeV per unit mass, which makes fusion over 3 times as powerful as fission per mass per event.
Nuclear fission is used in nuclear weapons to create what some might call an atomic blast (nuclear blast). Nuclear fission used this way can also be applied in special complex designs to generate enough thermal energy (heat) to initiate a fusion reaction. This creates an even bigger nuclear blast.
Pu-239 undergoes nuclear fission in a similar way to U-235, and a chain reaction can be set up in the same way. The nuclear parameters in terms of fission cross sections and neutron generation are slightly different, but this is well understood. Some reactors are now using new fuel that is a mixture of U and Pu (MOX fuel)
A device that splits atoms to produce energy is called a nuclear reactor. Nuclear reactors commonly split uranium-235 or plutonium-239. The heat is created mainly through: 1. An increase of the average kinetic energy of local atoms directly after fission 2. Gamma rays giving more energy to atoms 3. Radioactive decay which also creates heat
In Nuclear Bombs, continuous uncontrollable chain reactions (fission) occur. When 1 Uranium-235 atom decays by fission, it produces high speed fission fragments (mostly barium and crypto) that cause the great rise in temperature and 2 or 3 neutrons. When each of those neutrons collide with another Uranium-235 atoms , they decay in the same way producing high speed fission fragments and more neutrons and so a high temperature , speed and explosive waves are created which spread over a large area depending on the amount of uranium in the bomb . Secondly, when the fission fragments have their speed deceased slightly; they also start decaying by Alpha, Beta or Gamma radiations as they are also radioactive. They have long half-lives so they stay in their place (as they take very long time to decay) and cause much harm to our human body, since they are considered to be poisonous. You can also notice how the Japanese people are still affected by the radiations since the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So they have long term side effect. They are harmful chemicals after all. There is more information on the fission of uranium at the related question listed below.