Nudear fission

The stability of atoms - their property of being steadfast and remaining unchanged - is determined by the nature of their nuclei (see Textbox 12). Nuclei in which the number of neutrons is smaller than or equal to the number of protons are stable, while those in which the number of neutrons is larger than the number of protons are unstable. Unstabie nuciei have a tendency to adjust the disparity between the number of neutrons and protons and become stable they may do so by one of two processes, by radioactive decay or nudear fission. 

The process of radioactive decay (also known as radioactivity) involves the ejection from a nucleus of one or more nuclear particles and ionizing radiation. Nudear fission is a reaction in which the nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, with the simultaneous release of energy. Most radioisotopes undergo radioactive decay processes and are converted into different smaller atoms. 

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Gonnenwein F (1991) Mass, charge, kinetic energy of fission fragments. In Wagemans C (ed) The nudear fission process. CRC-Press, Boca Raton, pp 287-473 Grosse AV (1965) Introductory note to paper No. 137. In Fermi E (ed) Note e Memorie collected papers. 

Hofhnan DC (1989) Spontaneous fission of the heaviest elements, fifty years with nudear fission. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, pp 83-91... 

Wdstheinrich M, Pfister R, Gonnenwein F, Denschlag HO, Faust H, Oberstedt S (1998) Ternary partides fi-om the reactions (nth, U(nth, f) and Pu(nth, f). In Fioni G, Faust H, Oberstedt S, Hambsch FJ (eds) Nudear fission and fission-product spectroscopy. American Institute of Physics (AIP), Woodbury, NY), pp 330-337 YCALC (2003) http //wwwJcemchemie.uni-mainz.de/ institut/links.html... 

Wagemans C (1991) The nudear fission process. CRC Press, Boca Raton... 

Plutonium (Pu) 94 238pu 87.74 y Activation/transmutation in fission Nudear batteries... 

Ten years after the invention of the cyclotron, the nuclear reactor was invented. In Germany in December, 1938, Hahn and Strassman discovered fission a uranium atom could be split into smaller elements. In December 1942, Enrico Fermi and his colleagues built the first nuclear reactor in Chicago as part of the Manhattan Project. The nudear reactor was able to provide a far wider source of radioactive dements and compounds at much lower cost than the cydotron. 

As we search for the energy sources of the future, we need to consider economic, dimatic, and supply factors. There are several potential energy sources the sim (solar), nudear processes (fission and fusion), biomass (plants), and synthetic fuels. Direct use of the sun s radiant energy to heat our homes and run our factories and transportation systems seems a sensible long-term goal. But what do we do now Conservation of fossil fuels is one obvious step, but substitutes for fossil fuels also must be found. There is much research going on now to solve this problem. 

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IAEA (2000) Compilation and evaluation of fission yield nudear data. Report IAEA-TECDOC-1168, available through INIS Clearinghouse, IAEA, Vienna, Austria... 

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Madic C (2000) Overview of the hydrome lurigcal and pyro-metaUurgical processes studied worldwide for the partitioning of high active nudear wastes in actinide and fission partitioning and transmutation,... 

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The experiments being performed under this program provide data suitable for validating calculational techniques as required by. the American National Standard—ANSI N16.1-1969 (Nudear Criticality Safety in Operations with Fissionable Materials Outside Reactors). The data from experiments completed have been widely disseminated and used. Also, from all reports to date, they appear to be in a satisfactory and usable form. 

Nudear criticality safety in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors Criticality accident alarm system... 

The average energy released in the fission of a single uranium-235 nudeus is about 3 X 10 J. If the conversion of this energy to electricity in a nudear power plant is 40% effident, what mass of uranium-235 undergoes fission in a year in a plant that produces 1000 MW (megawatts) Recall that a watt is 1 J/s. 

Nudear Chain Reactions Fission induction of uranium-235 by bombardment with neutrons can lead to a chain reaction when a critical mass of uranium-235 is present. 

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