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halfANDhalf
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i've always wondered how the split the uranium atom to creat a chain reaction in a nuclear bomb
The process is fission, and basically the binding energy of fission products is greater than that of the U-236 nucleus formed when U-235 absorbs a neutron.halfANDhalf said:i've always wondered how the split the uranium atom to creat a chain reaction in a nuclear bomb
mikelepore said:When the U-235 nucleus splits it gives off two neutrons that can split two more nuclei, but when U-238 (more than 99 percent of the naturally-occurring U atoms) splits it doesn't give off any neutrons. So most of the technical problems in developing the bomb were figuring out how to separate the material atom-by-atom and obtain a chunk of pure U-235. Once you have that, if it's a large enough sample that most of the spontaneously released neutrons will be internal and not near the surface, it's easy to get a chain reaction. Just put two separated pieces of the material together to make the total mass enough, at the moment when you want it to be enough, and it will explode.
halfANDhalf said:i've always wondered how the split the uranium atom to creat a chain reaction in a nuclear bomb
Uranium is the main element used in creating a nuclear bomb. Specifically, the isotope uranium-235 is used because it is fissile, meaning it can be split by absorbing a neutron and releasing energy.
The process of splitting the uranium atom is called nuclear fission. This involves bombarding the uranium-235 atoms with neutrons, which causes them to split and release more neutrons. These additional neutrons then split more uranium atoms, creating a chain reaction that releases a massive amount of energy.
The amount of uranium needed to create a nuclear bomb varies depending on the type and design of the bomb. However, it generally takes about 50-100 kilograms of enriched uranium to create a nuclear bomb.
The energy released from a nuclear bomb is harnessed through the nuclear fission process and used to create heat. This heat is then used to create steam, which turns turbines and generates electricity. However, in the case of a nuclear bomb, the energy is released in an uncontrolled manner and causes destruction instead of being harnessed for practical use.
While uranium is the most commonly used element in creating a nuclear bomb, it is not the only one. Plutonium is also used as a fissionable material in some nuclear bombs. However, both uranium and plutonium are highly radioactive and can cause devastating effects if not handled properly.