P2 7.1 Nuclear Fission
- Created by: kayleigh_p
- Created on: 07-04-15 12:34
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- Nuclear Fission
- The splitting of an atomic nucleus
- Two fissionable isotopes
- Uranium-235
- Used in the majority of reactors
- Plutonium-239
- Uranium-235
- Naturally occurring uranium is uranium-238, which is non-fissionable
- Most reactors use 'enriched' uranium that contains 2-3% uranium-235
- For fission to occur, the nucleus must absorb a neutron
- The nucleus then splits into two smaller nuclei
- Two or three neutrons are emitted and energy is released
- Energy released in a nuclear reactor is much greater than the energy released in a chemical reaction
- A chain reaction takes place when each fission event creates more fission events
- In a nuclear reactor, the process is controlled, so one fission neutron per fission on average goes on to create another fission event
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