GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

GK

NUCLEAR SCIENCE

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Splitting a uranium atom is called-
A
fission
B
fusion
C
Either A or B
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart, which releases energy. All nuclear power plants use nuclear fission, and most nuclear power plants use uranium atoms. During nuclear fission, a neutron collides with a uranium atom and splits it, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation.

Detailed explanation-2: -The fuel that nuclear reactors use to produce nuclear fission is pellets of the element uranium. In a nuclear reactor, atoms of uranium are forced to break apart. As they split, the atoms release tiny particles called fission products. Fission products cause other uranium atoms to split, starting a chain reaction.

Detailed explanation-3: -The arrangement of particles within uranium-235 is somewhat unstable and the nucleus can disintegrate if it is excited by an outside source. When a U-235 nucleus absorbs an extra neutron, it quickly breaks into two parts. This process is known as fission (see diagram below).

Detailed explanation-4: -Fission is the splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus into two lighter nuclei, and fusion is the process where two light nuclei combine together releasing vast amounts of energy. While different, the two processes have an important role in the past, present and future of energy creation.

Detailed explanation-5: -An example of nuclear fission is the splitting of Uranium-235. The equation of the reaction has been given below: The other example of nuclear fission is the splitting of Uranium-233. The splitting of Plutonium-239 is the other example of nuclear fission given below:

There is 1 question to complete.