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Applications Of Nuclear Reactions. Fission and Fusion. Atomic Fission. Nuclear fission occurs when a heavy nucleus such as U-235 splits into two smaller nuclei. The total rest mass of the products is less than the original rest mass.
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Applications Of Nuclear Reactions Fission and Fusion
Atomic Fission • Nuclear fission occurs when a heavy nucleus such as U-235 splits into two smaller nuclei. • The total rest mass of the products is less than the original rest mass. • The mass difference is converted to the energy released using e=mc2 • This process occurs naturally at a slow rate, but can be accelerated by neutron bombardment in the laboratory.
Neutron Bombardment of U-235 • U-235 absorbs a slow moving neutron. • U-236 is unstable and lasts for only 10-12 s. • The U-236 nucleus splits into two fragments and emits several neutrons.
Nuclear Fusion • Lighter nuclei undergo a process called nuclear fusion • Fusion takes a great amount of energy to be initiated in order to overcome the proton-proton barrier between nuclei. • However, a greater amount of energy is released in the process. • Stars produce their energy through the fusion process.
Fusion Process • Hydrogen is fused together forming deuterium. • He-3 is formed from hydrogen isotopes. • He-4 is formed through 2 different processes. • The energy is produced though the gamma, neutrino, and positron emission.
Nuclear Facts • Nuclear energy is energy that is released either by splitting atomic nuclei or by forcing the nuclei of atoms together. • Nuclear energy comes from mass-to-energy conversions that occur in the splitting of atoms. • Nuclear energy is produced by a controlled nuclear chain reaction and creates heat—which is used to boil water, produce steam, and drive a steam turbine.
Nuclear Facts • Nuclear power can come from the fission of uranium, plutonium or thorium or the fusion of hydrogen into helium. Today it is almost all uranium. • Nuclear power plants need less fuel than ones which burn fossil fuels. One ton of uranium produces more energy than is produced by several million tons of coal or several million barrels of oil.
Nuclear Facts • In France, nuclear power is the most widespread, supplying 80 percent of the country's electricity. • As of 2004, nuclear power provided 6.5% of the world's energy and 15.7% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for 57% of nuclear generated electricity. • Nuclear energy (nuclear power) accounts for about 19 percent of the total electricity generated in the United States.
Homework • Pg 695-696 [34-42]