BRAINCAKENuclear Fission
Fission of the uranium-235 (or plutonium-238) nuclei can be induced by bombarding the nucleus with neutrons. Neutrons are released with the daughter nuclei and these neutrons are capable of causing further fissions if they collide with other uranium-235 nuclei. This results in a chain reaction and a huge amount of energy is released in a short time.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- Binding energy
- The energy needed to completely separate a nucleus into its individual, unbound protons and neutrons.
More in Nuclear Energy
- Mass-Energy Equivalence
- Strong Nuclear Force
- Binding Energy and Nuclear Stability
- Quantum Tunnelling
- Nuclear Fusion
- Nuclear Reactors
- Safety
All 8 lessons in Nuclear Energy · All AQA A-level Physics topics