How energy is released during nuclear fission?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the mechanisms of energy release during nuclear fission, specifically focusing on the binding energy changes associated with the fission of uranium into krypton and barium. Participants explore the contributions of kinetic energy from fission fragments and the role of binding energy in the process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that around 200 MeV is used to increase the binding energy of the resulting barium and krypton nuclei, questioning whether this understanding is correct.
  • Another participant points out that 85% of the energy released comes from the kinetic energy of fission fragments, noting that these fragments decay into more stable products and that delayed neutrons are important for sustaining the chain reaction.
  • A participant provides detailed calculations regarding the excess masses of the fission products and their contributions to the total energy released, suggesting a maximum energy release of about 201 MeV during the fragmentation process.
  • Another participant clarifies that while binding energy is often presented as a positive value, it actually has a negative effect on the mass of the system, leading to a decrease in mass that translates into kinetic energy for the decay products.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the specifics of energy release mechanisms and the role of binding energy, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions involve complex calculations and assumptions about binding energy and mass defect, which may not be fully resolved or universally accepted among participants.

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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