Nuclear fission and fusion are two types of nuclear reactions that release energy. Fission occurs when an atomic nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, while fusion occurs when two atomic nuclei join to form a larger nucleus. Both release energy, although fusion releases about 4 times as much energy as fission. Historically, fission was first achieved in the late 1930s by German researchers studying uranium, while fusion of light nuclei was first observed in 1932. Today, fission is used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity by heating water into steam with the thermal energy released and spinning a turbine connected to a generator. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was caused by an uncontrolled fission reaction in one of the plant's reactors,
Nuclear fission and fusion are two types of nuclear reactions that release energy. Fission occurs when an atomic nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, while fusion occurs when two atomic nuclei join to form a larger nucleus. Both release energy, although fusion releases about 4 times as much energy as fission. Historically, fission was first achieved in the late 1930s by German researchers studying uranium, while fusion of light nuclei was first observed in 1932. Today, fission is used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity by heating water into steam with the thermal energy released and spinning a turbine connected to a generator. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was caused by an uncontrolled fission reaction in one of the plant's reactors,
Nuclear fission and fusion are two types of nuclear reactions that release energy. Fission occurs when an atomic nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, while fusion occurs when two atomic nuclei join to form a larger nucleus. Both release energy, although fusion releases about 4 times as much energy as fission. Historically, fission was first achieved in the late 1930s by German researchers studying uranium, while fusion of light nuclei was first observed in 1932. Today, fission is used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity by heating water into steam with the thermal energy released and spinning a turbine connected to a generator. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was caused by an uncontrolled fission reaction in one of the plant's reactors,
Nuclear fission and fusion are two types of nuclear reactions that release energy. Fission occurs when an atomic nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, while fusion occurs when two atomic nuclei join to form a larger nucleus. Both release energy, although fusion releases about 4 times as much energy as fission. Historically, fission was first achieved in the late 1930s by German researchers studying uranium, while fusion of light nuclei was first observed in 1932. Today, fission is used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity by heating water into steam with the thermal energy released and spinning a turbine connected to a generator. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was caused by an uncontrolled fission reaction in one of the plant's reactors,
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 3
Cabrera 1
Carmen Cabrera
Professor Cruz
English III
December 1st, 2023
Nuclear fission and fusion
Fission and nuclear fusion, two energy creators. Are they the same? Do they
differ in any way? Fusion, as the word says is to join, nuclear fusion occurs when two
atomic nuclei join to form a single nucleus much stronger, releasing energy. On the
other hand, fission is the opposite, occurs when a nucleus separates into two forming
smaller and lighter nuclei, energy is released in both ways, although it is worth
mentioning that the energy released in nuclear fusion is much greater, 4 times exactly.
Mark Oliphant, based on Rutherford's nuclear transmutation experiments,
observed in 1932 the fusion of light nuclei, specifically hydrogen swabs. Some years
after this fact, Hans Beathe studied nuclear fusion in stars. For military purposes in the
context of the Manhattan Project, this study began in the 1940s and was successful until
1952, and this research continues to the present.
At the end of 1938, still in the midst of World War II, a group of German
researchers succeeded in interpreting the fission phenomenon by identifying the
element barium formed by the splitting of the uranium nucleus. Lise Meitner and Otto
Hahn carried out the first studies, focusing on the results obtained by Frederic Joliot and
Irene Curie. These scientists deduced that by bombarding uranium with neutrons, it split
into two fragments when a neutron was captured.
Cabrera 2
One of the major applications of a fission reaction is the production of electricity
via nuclear power plants (“What Is Nuclear Fission”). For several reasons, it is an
advantageous method of producing energy. As is known, in a conventional thermal
power plant, energy is obtained by burning fossil fuels, since this is a similar process.
The difference is that in a nuclear reactor thermic energy it is obtained by fission
reactions of uranium atoms.
A nuclear power plant is an industrial facility in which electricity is generated from
the thermal energy produced by fission reactions in a nuclear reactor vessel ("How does
a nuclear power plant work?"). With the thermal energy released, water is heated and
converted into steam at a high pressure and temperature. With the help of this steam
the turbine rotates, it is important to mention that it is connected to a generator that
converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Nuclear power plants cannot be thoroughly discussed without mentioning nuclear
accidents. Chernobyl nuclear power station in the Soviet Union, the worst disaster in the
history of nuclear power generation (“Britannica”). This accident had a lot to do with
nuclear fission because this plant used this type of reactors. Rather a reactor known as
RBMK, which released a large amount of energy through fission. The accident was
caused specifically by an uncontrolled increase of the reaction in the chain of one of the
reactors. The fission products generated devastating consequences for mankind.
Cabrera 3
Works Cited (“What Is Nuclear Fission”) https://byjus.com/physics/what-is-nuclear-fission/ ("How does a nuclear power plant work?") https://www.foronuclear.org/en/nuclear- power/how-does-a-nuclear-power-plant-work/ (“Britannica”) https://www.britannica.com/event/Chernobyl-disaster
