HOw is nuclear energy released from an atom?
Nuclear energy is released from an atom through nuclear fission or nuclear fusion. In the fission process a neutron that is absorbed producing decay and radioactivity bombards a nucleus of material such as Uranium-235. Fission then is the splitting of atoms. Fission reactions produce enormous amounts of heat that turns water into steam for generating electricity. The heat is produced from the collision of fissioned particles with other atoms, converting kinetic energy into heat.
In the second process of releasing energy from the atom, the nuclei of atoms are joined through “fusion,” resulting in the creation of a third element, a free neutron, and nucleus. Heat is produced when the free neutron collides with other atoms. The sun and stars get their energy from the fusion of hydrogen to produce helium. Scientists have been attempting to imitate this process for many years, but it requires extremely high temperatures. Although scientists have been unable to develop a container capable of holding such extremely hot material, one of the more promising efforts involves containing the material within a magnetic field, while it is being heated to the required temperature.
In the second process of releasing energy from the atom, the nuclei of atoms are joined through “fusion,” resulting in the creation of a third element, a free neutron, and nucleus. Heat is produced when the free neutron collides with other atoms. The sun and stars get their energy from the fusion of hydrogen to produce helium. Scientists have been attempting to imitate this process for many years, but it requires extremely high temperatures. Although scientists have been unable to develop a container capable of holding such extremely hot material, one of the more promising efforts involves containing the material within a magnetic field, while it is being heated to the required temperature.