One Response to “Homer Evolution”

1. Doug Says:
   July 11th, 2008 at 5:09 pm

   Olegt (or anyone that can help)….

   I just have a question about nuclear fission….
   Nuclear fission is the breaking of an atomic core of an atom. Like with U-235.
   It absorbs a slow moving neutron which yields the unstable U-236. Because of the instability the atomic core fissions. Yielding Kr and some other element (can't remember which one) along with 2 neutrons. These 2 neutrons hit other U-235 atoms, amplifying the nuclear fission with each generation of more neutrons.

   So, where does the stray neutron come from?
   Radioactive decay releases alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays.
   Alpha particles are Helium atoms without the electrons, so they are positive and would be repelled from the atomic core of U-236. Also, they have alot of mass, travel slowly and have short range.
   Beta particles are electrons, they move faster, have a longer range but would get repelled from the electron cloud, and wouldn't be able to make an atomic core unstable.
   Gamma rays aren't particles but are waves and have no mass. So they wouldn't be able to make an atomic core unstable.

   What am I missing!?!?!?!?!?!?
   Everywhere I read just assumes this neutron floating around approaching a some heavy elements atomic core.

   Guts, sorry for using your thread as an open thread. You can delete if you'd like.

Comment by Doug — July 11, 2008 @ 5:09 pm

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