Nuclear fission

Nuclear fission

Nuclear fission is the process of a large, unstable nucleus splitting into two smaller nuclei. These two nuclei are similar in size but rarely identical.
Gamma rays will also be released after the fission reaction, along with 2 or 3 neutrons.
Fission rarely happens spontaneously. It is typically induced by a neutron colliding with the unstable nucleus. The neutrons released in the fission reaction can then collide with other unstable nuclei to cause a chain reaction.
A large amount of energy is released in the reaction:
- The smaller nuclei gain kinetic energy due to their electrostatic repulsion.
- This energy is transferred to the internal energy of atoms the nuclei collide with, raising the temperature of the system.

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