The story of the discovery of nuclear fission actually began with the discovery of the neutron in 1932 by James Chadwick in England. The conclusion that such an unusual nuclear reaction can in fact occur was the culmination of a truly dramatic episode in the history of science, and it set in motion an extremely intense and productive period of investigation. The term fission was first used by the German physicists Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch in 1939 to describe the disintegration of a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei of approximately equal size. History of fission research and technology
Even from a purely scientific perspective, the process of nuclear fission has given rise to many puzzles and complexities, and a complete theoretical explanation is still not at hand. The discovery of nuclear fission has opened a new era-the “ Atomic Age.” The potential of nuclear fission for good or evil and the risk/benefit ratio of its applications have not only provided the basis of many sociological, political, economic, and scientific advances but grave concerns as well. If uncontrolled, as in the case of the so-called atomic bomb, it can lead to an explosion of awesome destructive force. If controlled in a nuclear reactor, such a chain reaction can provide power for society’s benefit. These neutrons can induce fission in a nearby nucleus of fissionable material and release more neutrons that can repeat the sequence, causing a chain reaction in which a large number of nuclei undergo fission and an enormous amount of energy is released. In the fission process, a large quantity of energy is released, radioactive products are formed, and several neutrons are emitted. The process may take place spontaneously in some cases or may be induced by the excitation of the nucleus with a variety of particles (e.g., neutrons, protons, deuterons, or alpha particles) or with electromagnetic radiation in the form of gamma rays. In nuclear fission the nucleus of an atom breaks up into two lighter nuclei. The process is accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy. Nuclear fission, subdivision of a heavy atomic nucleus, such as that of uranium or plutonium, into two fragments of roughly equal mass. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.
#Fission drink how to#
0 kommentar(er)
