Nuclear Fission as the Splitting of the Self - And Nuclear Fusion as the Reunion

Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter nuclei, releasing energy from the nuclear binding energy that held the original nucleus together. Uranium-235, struck by a...

Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter nuclei, releasing energy from the nuclear binding energy that held the original nucleus together.

Uranium-235, struck by a neutron, splits into barium and krypton, releasing three additional neutrons and approximately two hundred million electron volts of energy. The splitting is violent.

The energy released is enormous - a single fission event releases approximately fifty million times more energy per atom than a chemical combustion event.

And the released neutrons can trigger additional fissions in neighboring nuclei, producing a chain reaction that can be controlled (nuclear reactor) or uncontrolled (nuclear weapon).