Nuclear Fission
Key Stage 4
=Meaning
Nuclear fission is a process in which a large unstable nucleus splits into two more stable nuclei.
About Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear fission occurs when a massive nucleus is so unstable that it splits in two.
- During nuclear fission neutrons are also emitted.
- Nuclear fission transfers energy from the nuclear potential energy store into the thermal energy store of the material and the surroundings.
- Nuclear fission can be induced in a material by bombarding massive nuclei with neutrons. If a neutron is captured by the nucleus it becomes so unstable that it splits in two.
- The neutrons used to induce fission must have a low energy to be captured by a nucleus otherwise the neutrons will just pass straight through without being captured. Neutrons with the right amount of energy to be captured are called thermal neutrons because they have a similar energy to molecules in the air at room temperature.