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| Question | Answer |
| What is fission? | The splitting of large nuclei (Which have low binding energy per nucleon) into two smaller nuclei (With larger binding energy per nucleon) and therefore releasing energy |
| When can this splitting happen? | Either spontaneously or induced with an energetic neutron |
| How many protons is a nucleus considered unstable? | above 83 protons |
| The larger the nucleus is the less ... | Stable it is so puts a limit on the number of possible elements |
| What is the size of the strong force in comparison of a large nucleus? | Barely reaches across the radius |
| How can we split a nucleus? | By firing a thermal neutron at the nucleus it causes it to deform and split |
| What must the neutrons used to induce fission have? | The correct thermal energy |
| What happens if the energy is too high? | The neutron will pass through |
| What happens if the energy is too low? | The neutron will rebound off the nucleus |
| What happens if the energy is just right? | The nucleus will absorb it |
| What are other limiting factors of Fission? | Uranium-235 is fissionable but uranium-238 is not If U 238 absorbs a neutron the decay chain will stop Must get the balance of these two Isotopes in the reactor right |
| What happens if there is too little U-235? | The reaction will stop as the U-238 absorbs the neutrons |
| What happens if there is too much U-235? | The reaction can get out of control |
| What is a chain reaction? | After splitting the large nucleus will form two daughter nuclei and 3 energetic neutrons, the neutron released can cause even more fission if absorbed by U-235 |
| Why is nuclear waste dangerous? | After fission has taken place the daughter nuclei may be unstable beta emitters |
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