ELI5: Why does an atomic bomb explode, and why doesn’t that
I understand that an atomic bomb works by detonating fuel (uranium or plutonium) that sparks a chain reaction of fission so every atom causes the fission of more atoms until the fuel is used …
ELI5: How do control rods in nuclear reactors work?
Basically, the fuel in a nuclear reactor is sustaining its fission reaction because the uranium fuel shoots out neutrons as it “burns”. These neutrons hit other uranium atoms causes them to …
Why didn't the chain reaction that was supposed to end the
Aug 9, 2023 · The short answer is that the amount of energy lost due to the explosion and the accompanying radiation far exceeded the energy gained from the fission chain reaction.
eli5 Why does Uranium 235 fission if hit by a neutron, but ... - Reddit
Oct 7, 2023 · An element that can be transformed to a fissile element is called fertile. U-238 is fissionable and fertile but not fissile If there is another neutron source, like a fission chain …
What is the time elapsed in a nuclear detonation? : r/askscience
May 18, 2016 · In a fission device, the nuclear reaction takes place in under 100 nanoseconds. See Time Scale of a Nuclear Explosion, starting page 16 in this PDF.
Why graphite increases reactivity? : r/ChernobylTV - Reddit
Nuclear fission is essentially neutrons shooting out of exploding atoms hitting other atoms to make them explode aswell, the job of the nuclear reactor is to control these neutrons. You can do …
Eli5 do hydrogen bombs have any fallout? Is it just reduced or ...
The first type of fission weapon developed is known as the gun-type fission weapon. If I were to take half of a critical mass of uranium and slam it into another fraction of a critical mass with …
Why don’t we use Radium instead of uranium in nuclear power
Radium isn't fissile (or at least most isotopes of radium aren't fissile). The very basic way that a nuclear reactor works is this a fissile isotope (like uranium-235, plutonium-239, or uranium …
What form does the released energy take in fission and fusion
Oct 16, 2018 · Nuclei flying apart at high speed is radiation. The parent comment is talking about a specific kind of nuclear reaction where something with high Z undergoes induced fission. In …
ElI5: How does the chain reaction in a nuclear bomb end?
Feb 22, 2021 · In a nuclear bomb/fission, particles crash into other atoms splitting them, causing the chain reaction and releasing massive energy. So why does the chain reaction end? …