Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts (lighter nuclei). The fission process often produces free neutrons and photons (in the form of gamma rays), and releases a large amount of energy. In nuclear physics, nuclear fission is either a nuclear reaction or a radioactive decay process. The case of decay process is called spontaneous fission and it is very rare process. In this section, the neutron-induced nuclear fission, the process of the greatest practical importance in reactor physics, will be discussed.
Fusion reactions between light elements, like fission reactions that split heavy elements, release energy because of a key feature of nuclear matter called the binding energy, which can be released through fusion or fission. The binding energy of the nucleus is a measure of the efficiency with which its constituent nucleons are bound together. Take, for example, an element with Z protons and N neutrons in its nucleus. The element’s atomic weight A is Z + N, and its atomic number is Z. The binding energy B is the energy associated with the mass difference between the Z protons and N neutrons considered separately and the nucleons bound together (Z + N) in a nucleus of mass M. The formula is
Carson models how the continental crust varies in thickness. Marisol records atmospheric and oceanic temperatures at several beaches. Eliza analyzes seismic wave activity from an earthquake using a computer model.
A covalent compound is made when two or more nonmetal atoms bond by sharing valence electrons. The shared valence electrons between two nonmetal atoms is called a covalent bond. Covalent bonds are formed when two atoms begin sharing electrons
