Download 3-7 Nuclear Reactions: Fission

NUCLEAR REACTIONS:
FISSION
(11.2 PG 313-317)
• The process of splitting a larger nucleus into smaller nuclei
is called nuclear fission.
• Here is a ‘famous’ step-by-step example of
fission from your text (please note the whole
process is an example of artificial
radioactivity):
•
Uranium-236 is not stable, and splits into 2 nuclei
•
We can write it like this:
• This process produces lots of extra energy (Fig.1
p.314), since a small amount of the mass is released as
pure energy.
• The energy can be used to boil water to make steam
and turn the turbine which is used to power electric
generators.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJfIbBDR3e8
• If you examine Table 1&2 p.315 (and maybe even read
some of your textbook), you will see the ‘before and
after’ of nuclear fission.
• Note the small amount of mass lost can produce a lot of
power using Einstein’s equation (E=mc2).
• Nuclear fission can produce a lot of energy for ‘good’, but
unfortunately can also be used to make a really powerful bomb.
• Only two nuclear bombs have ever been used in war, but had
devastating consequences (Fig.2 p.316).
• They both were used on Japan at the end of World War II by
Americans, and have never been used in a war since.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIbACkLU-38
QUESTIONS
PG 317 #1,4,6-9