Question

Explain fission and fusion write down the principle of nuclear reactor

Answer 1

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Here is your answer!
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Fission means to split up into two or more parts.

The process in which the heavy nucleus of a radioactive atom uranium,  plutonium or Thorium splits up into smaller nuclei when bombarded with low energy neutrons is called nuclear fission.


A tremendous amount of energy is produced in the nuclear fission process. The sum of masses of the smaller nuclei form in a fission reaction is a little less than that of the mass of the original heavy nucleus. 

So there is a small loss of mass in the nuclear fission process which appears as a tremendous amount of energy.



Tremendous amount of Energy produced in a fission reaction is due to the conversion of mass into energy.



For e.g


When uranium 235 atoms are bombarded with slow moving neutrons the heavy uranium nucleus breaks up to produce two medium weight atoms barium -139 and krypton-94 with the emission of 3 neutrons. A tremendous amount of energy is produced during the fission of Uranium


235 U 92 + 1 n 0 ------>(Fission )  94 Kr 36 + 139 Ba 56 + 3 1n 0+ tremendous amount of energy
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NUCLEAR FUSION : is a process in which light nuclei, such as hydrogen nuclei, fuse to form a heavier nucleus, with the release of a large amount of energy. The energy released per fusion reaction of this type, is approximately 24 MeV, whereas in a fission reaction involving uranium, about 200 MeV energy is released per reaction. Fusion reactions are responsible for energy production in the sun and other stars.
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Hope it helps!