The Development of Fission and the Nuclear Reactor Essay -- Essays Pap

The Development of Fission and the thermonuclear Reactor thermonuclear transmutations had began in 1919 with an experiment by Earnest Rutherford. He demonstrated that nitrogen, when bombarded with alpha particles, can be turned into oxygen. During the 1920s experiments continued, unless(prenominal) collecting radioactive sources with a high enough intensity became hard. In 1931 the invention of the cyclotron and the Van de Graaff accelerator made a variety of different particles available, and strengthened nuclear studies. In 1934 Frederick Joliot discovered artificial radioactivity. The development of nuclear fission, the splitting of an elements heavy burden, like a uranium atom to organise devil lighter fission fragments as well as less massive particles as the neutrons, really began with the research of Enrico Fermi and his associates at the University of Rome, in Italy. In 1934 it was cognise that atoms consisted of a nucleus, containing protons and neutr ons, surrounded by electrons. It was also known that certain nuclei were radioactive. Radioactive nuclei emit alpha particles, which ar pieces of nuclear effect containing two protons and two neutrons. After the alpha particle leaves the nucleus atomic number 88 is changed into radon. If the radon gas is combined with several grams of beryllium then neutrons ar found to be emitted. When the alpha particle enters a beryllium nucleus it provides enough kinetic cipher for a neutron to burst out, leaving screw a carbon nucleus in the process. It was later determined that this vigour could be harnessed by a nuclear reactor and use for power. A nuclear reactor causes a interaction between two or more nuclei, nuclear particles, or radiation, causing fission. Nuclear reactors are used ... ...one strives to use energy wisely, existing resources will last longer. little damage to the environment will occur. Thanks to the development of nuclear fission and the nuclear reactor, our society has seen many changes over the past 65 years. Nuclear energy has helped to take our country into the next era. From medical uses to powering submarines, nuclear energy has provided us with a much more advanced and efficient focal point of creating electricity and power. Bibliography Allison, Samuel. Constructive Uses of Atomic Energy. Freeport, NY Harper& Row, Publishers, Inc, 1971. Dietz, David. Atomic Science, Bombs and Power. New York, NY coal miner Books, 1962. Graetzer, Hans. The Discovery of Nuclear Fission. New York Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1971. Williams, Robert. The American Atom. Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Press, 1984.