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example of a reaction
A [[critical mass]] of the right [[radioactive]] material is required to begin this chain reaction. This is because if the mass undergoing fission is not sufficiently large, it's high surface area to mass ratio allows a large percentage of the neutrons required to sustain the chain reaction to escape. Once a critical mass of the proper radioactive material of good enough purity is achieved, the chain reaction begins.
A [[critical mass]] of the right [[radioactive]] material is required to begin this chain reaction. This is because if the mass undergoing fission is not sufficiently large, it's high surface area to mass ratio allows a large percentage of the neutrons required to sustain the chain reaction to escape. Once a critical mass of the proper radioactive material of good enough purity is achieved, the chain reaction begins.
== Typical reaction ==
When [[Uranium|Uranium-235]] <math>{}^{235}U</math> is bombarded with neutrons, a nucleus may absorb a neutron <math>{}_0^1n</math> and become very unstable. It splits into fragments, generally two new smaller nuclei and a few neutrons. A typical reaction would be:
<center><math>{}^{235}_{92}U + {}_0^1n \qquad \rarr \qquad {}^{139}_{56}Ba + {}^{94}_{36}Kr + 3 {}_0^1n</math></center>
The reaction releases a great amount of [[binding energy]], as the binding energy of the <math>{}^{235}U</math> is much higher than the binding energy of <math>{}^{139}_{56}Ba</math> and <math>{}^{94}_{36}Kr</math> combined. This can be seen when we compare the masses of the elements involved on both sides of the equation: though the number of protons and neutrons on both sides is the same, the masses are different!
==References==
==References==