ipl-logo

Fission Vs Nuclear Fusion Essay

1284 Words6 Pages

Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are reactions that release energy because of the high-powered atomic bonds between the particles in the nucleus. To understand fission and fusion reactions, we must first understand the difference between them. In a fission reaction, a massive nucleus is split in the form of gamma rays, free neutrons and other subatomic particles. In a fusion reaction, two nuclei combine to form a new element that contains more protons in the nucleus (higher atomic number). Those are the basic definitions of the fusion and fission reactions. There are still many more important differences between the two that we need to discuss. (ii)Differences One of the major differences between the two reactions is that fission does not …show more content…

At long distances, two nuclei repel each other due to the positive protons and the electrostatic force. However, if two nuclei were to be brought close enough the electrostatic repulsion can be overcome by the attractive force of the nuclear force, which becomes stronger at nearer distances. In the diagram below, the electrostatic force between the positively charged nuclei is repulsive, but when the separation is small enough, the attractive nuclear forces is stronger. As a result, the requirement for fusion reaction to occur is that the two nuclei are brought close together for enough time for the nuclear force to …show more content…

In this diagram, a neutron is absorbed by a uranium-235 nucleus, as a result, it turns of a small period of time to an excited uranium-236 nucleus, with the excitation energy provided by the kinetic energy of the neutron plus the forces that bind to the neutron. The uranium-236 then splits into two, smaller, lighter, fast-moving elements (these are known as fission products) and releases three free neutrons as well as gamma rays. Fusion and fission are nuclear reactions. Fusion is the binding of two atoms to produce a heavier atom while fission is splitting of an atom. Fusion releases more energy than fission and powers the stars. Fission is used in nuclear power plants and produce a great amount of energy for us. To produce any type of these reactions, different conditions must be met and different amount of energy is

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Fission

    354 Words  | 2 Pages

    When the nuclei of Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239 undergo nuclear fission, they produce waste as a by-product, which is known as nuclear waste or “fission fragments”. (Leslie Corrice, 2015) This waste contains radioisotopes, which are radioactive isotopes that have long half-lives. This means that the radioisotopes are able to stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of thousands of years, which is extremely hazardous to the earth’s environment. Very commonly this waste contaminates water and ruins the quality of both air and soil, which in turn devastates the planet.

    Read More

  • Gun Fire Research Paper

    721 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever wondered what happens when a gun fires? I have been hunting for almost all my life and I have started to wonder about this. For my science fair project I 'm going to find the reaction of explosions. I also find this interesting because I want to make guns someday. I believe that understanding the Chemistry and Physics of explosions may help me to find the answer to my question.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power Plants

    160 Words  | 1 Pages

    Contrary to popular belief, nuclear power plants are unable to explode. Power plants use fuel that is thirty to ninety times too diluted to explode.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Three Mile Island And Chernobyl

    348 Words  | 2 Pages

    The general attitude by the public towards nuclear reactors is that of fear or disapproval simply due to its name or the rumors. Nuclear reactors are merely devices that sustain chain reactions, in which only one of the emitted neutrons hits another nucleus to create fission. Though nuclear reactors cannot become a weapon or a bomb, some of the dangers relate to our lives to the extent that we may need to seek alternatives, as demonstrated by the reactors in Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Nuclear reactors operate on chain reaction, which does not grow due to neutron multiplications of 1. They depend on slow neutrons—in explosion, they are only as powerful as TNT.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Fission

    1640 Words  | 7 Pages

    Nuclear fission occurs when an atom splits and releases energy. Nuclear fission is cheap and produces more energy than fossil fuels, but it releases hazardous waste. Another method of using energy must be found. Enter nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion is the exact opposite of fission, in which two atoms join together.

    Read More

  • Hydrogen Bomb Research Paper

    624 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fission is the process of splitting an atom in half with a neutron. In order to split an atom the nucleus has to be large. When an atom is split it releases massive amounts of energy. Fission splits an atom into to smaller identical atoms with a neutron. Fission, also being a part of the atomic structure, plays a big role because it changes the normalcy of a regular atom causing it to also release massive amounts of energy and pressure.

    Read More

  • What Are The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Energy

    1790 Words  | 8 Pages

    Nuclear energy has numerous world benefits that other forms of energy creation just don’t, and its pros are truly unprecedented by any other source of energy. Nuclear power plants are inexpensive to run, which means they can easily be maintained and sustained at a low cost. And while the reactors themselves may be expensive, with government grants the materials can be much more easily purchased and built. The most expensive part of the nuclear reactor process is the uranium, which again, isn’t hard to get as it’s used in few other applications and can be acquired through government programs. Additionally, the energy emitted from these power plants compared to their cost is immense and an extremely worthwhile investment for governments and private businesses.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power

    1230 Words  | 5 Pages

    Nuclear Power Support or Fear The global energy demand is increasing as years go by as there is a rapid growth of population in deed of power. Due to the high demand for energy, many people are opting to replace other forms of energy with nuclear power because of its safety, reliability, and sustainability. In addition, it is one of the cleanest carbon free sources of energy available in the world today. Nuclear power is the use of continuous nuclear fission to produce electricity and heat.

    Read More

  • Science In The 1940s Essay

    1113 Words  | 5 Pages

    Nuclear fission was one of the biggest outcomes that came out of World War Two from science. With nuclear

    Read More

  • The Similarities And Differences Between Americans And Atomic Bombs

    562 Words  | 3 Pages

    But, there can also come many great differences. Some of these differences are how powerful they are, how big the explosions are, the weight that both of them have, and how to be able to use these items. If we take the amount of power of both of these items as an example, we can see how different they are because of course an atomic bomb would be way more powerful than a hand grenade since an atomic bomb can clear a whole city, while a hand grenade doesn’t have the ability to do this. As seen in world war two between America and Japan, we can see how America used the atomic bomb against Japan and bombed both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The atomic bomb had an extremely big amount of power to get rid of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Hydrogen Bombs

    590 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hydrogen bombs are more than 1000 times more powerful than the very common atomic bomb. The explosion is from nuclear fusion which is when hydrogen nuclei (plural of nucleus) are joined to form helium nuclei, releasing great destructive energy and radioactive fallout. When the nuclei combine there is a split second where there is nothing and then there is the explosion. An atomic bomb is the trigger or the smaller bomb of what sets off the hydrogen bomb. We have to be careful with the hydrogen bomb because, if used, it will cause a major catastrophe far greater than the damage done by the atomic bomb.

    Read More

  • Case Example 17A, What Does The Position Of The Burn Victim's Body Suggest?

    485 Words  | 2 Pages

    TEST 4 1. Identify and describe three types of “cybercrime”. The computer as the target: eg a computer virus. This includes theft of intellectual property or personal data.

    Read More

  • Thesis Statement On The Atomic Bomb

    1523 Words  | 7 Pages

    Thesis statement: Though many speculate that the act of dropping the atomic bomb on Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) while not doing so on Europe (Germany and Italy) was racially motivated, racism played little to no role in these bombings. The United States of America and her allies were willing to end World War II at any cost, had the atomic bombs been available they would have been deployed in Europe. In the 1940’s there is no doubt that the United States of America was engulfed by mass anti-Japanese hysteria which inevitably bled over into America’s foreign policy. During this period Japanese people living in both Japan and the United States of America were seen as less that human.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Fission And Nuclear Fusion

    792 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this day and age where energy is one of the greatest factors in world events, it is unsurprising to see nuclear energy, the bridge between fossil fuels and renewable resources, argued for and against so fiercely. Yet under this umbrella term of “nuclear energy” that people enjoy throwing around, there are two wildly different forms of energy. Things that perhaps shouldn’t be lumped together so haphazardly. Those are Nuclear Fission and Nuclear Fusion.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Nuclear Energy

    3678 Words  | 15 Pages

    Nuclear energy is one of the several alternative energy sources that have been introduced ever since. Nuclear energy’s various advantages entice many countries to start practicing it. One must consider the amount of energy generated by nuclear fuels, as they are highly-concentrated energy sources. Small uranium pellets, which are the most common form of fuel in generating nuclear energy, can generate as much electricity as a trainload full of coal does. In addition, nuclear power plants do not produce green house gases as byproducts.

    Read More

More about Fission Vs Nuclear Fusion Essay

Open Document