How energy is released during nuclear fission?

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SUMMARY

Nuclear fission of uranium results in the formation of krypton and barium, releasing approximately 200 MeV of energy. The binding energy per nucleon for uranium is 7.6 MeV, while krypton and barium exhibit a higher binding energy, indicating that energy is utilized to enhance the binding of protons and neutrons in these fragments. The majority of the energy released, about 85%, originates from the kinetic energy of fission fragments, with additional contributions from delayed neutrons and other radiation types. The total binding energy of the resulting nuclei is lower than that of uranium, leading to a mass defect that translates into kinetic energy for the decay products.

PREREQUISITES
  • Nuclear physics fundamentals
  • Understanding of binding energy concepts
  • Knowledge of fission reactions and decay processes
  • Familiarity with mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²)
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the concept of mass defect in nuclear reactions
  • Study the role of kinetic energy in fission fragment dynamics
  • Investigate delayed neutron emission and its impact on chain reactions
  • Review advanced nuclear physics textbooks for detailed analyses of fission energy
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Students and professionals in nuclear physics, nuclear engineers, and researchers interested in the mechanics of nuclear fission and energy release processes.

aayush
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In a simple nuclear fission reaction an uranium atom breaks into krypton and barium releasing around 200MeV.
Binding energy per nucleon (BE/A) of uranium = 7.6 MeV
And binding energy per nucleon of krypton an barium is just larger than that of uranium.
So in my view, around 200 MeV is used to increase the binding energy to bind the protons and neutrons in barium and krypton. ( I may be wrong ) But, from where the energy is released ( i.e energy from mass defect = 0.2253*951 = 208 MeV and around this amount of energy is used to increase the binding energy of barium and krypton)
Is there some thing else happening or I am wrong about binding energy?
 
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aayush said:
Is there some thing else happening or I am wrong about binding energy?

have a look at the following...
<http://www.world-nuclear.org/inform...e/introduction/physics-of-nuclear-energy.aspx>

actually 85% of the energy coming out is from kinetic energy of fission fragments...and these fragments decay to more stable products, other radiations also play a role..the delayed neutrons play a role in sustaining the chain reaction.
 
aayush said:
So in my view, around 200 MeV is used to increase the binding energy to bind the protons and neutrons in barium and krypton. ( I may be wrong ) But, from where the energy is released ( i.e energy from mass defect = 0.2253*951 = 208 MeV and around this amount of energy is used to increase the binding energy of barium and krypton)
Is there some thing else happening or I am wrong about binding energy?
the excess masses of 236 U, 95 Kr and 141Ba are respectively -42.52 MeV, -58.34 MeV and -79.97 MeV ... totals to about 180 mev

moreover taking the initial unit radius R0 = 1.48 fm and R1 and R2 the fragment radius at the point of contact

the maximum of the curve of fragment separation is found to be at 201 MeV.

so a neck formation takes place if it gets dipped by say 20 mev the threshold of fragmentation is reached.a detail analysis is presented in various textbooks or


in fission energy

the KE of fission fragments =165 MeV + other products neutrons , beta and gamma radiations, neutrinos add to about 35 Mev

The Atomic Nucleus by J. M. Reid, Penguin Library of Physical Sciences,London, 1972
 
aayush said:
So in my view, around 200 MeV is used to increase the binding energy to bind the protons and neutrons in barium and krypton.
Remember, although we usually give binding energy as a positive number, it is actually negative in its effect on the mass of the system. So if the total binding energy of barium and krypton is larger than the binding energy of uranium, the sum of the masses of the final nuclei (barium + krypton) is smaller than the mass of the initial nucleus (uranium). This decrease in mass goes into the kinetic energies of the decay products.
 
Thank You everyone i understood.
 

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