10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION

1. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power1.htm

2. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 1. Nuclear Fission is the splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller nuclei of approximately equal mass.

3. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 2. Unlike radioactive decay, nuclear fission does not occur spontaneously.

4. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 3. The nucleus needs to be bombarded by a neutron at high speed in order to split.

5. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 4. The new neutrons that are released then bombard other nuclei, creating a chain-reaction.

6. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 5. The chain reaction releases huge amount of energy, because mass has been converted into energy!

7. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 6. An example of an uncontrolled chain reaction is an atom bomb.

8. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 7. Nuclear power plants generate electricity with controlled chain reactions.

9. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 8. The splitting of an atom releases an incredible amount of heat and gamma radiation, or radiation made of high-energy photons. The two atoms that result from the fission later release beta radiation(superfast electrons) and gamma radiation of their own, too.

10. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION Nuclear Fission was discovered after scientists began to practice artificial transmutation, creating new elements by changing the nucleus of existing elements.

11. 10 facts about NUCLEAR FISSION 10. Artificial transmutation is done in a particle accelerator, not at a power plant.