Limitations of fission decay paths

[NotASmurf]

Hey all,

For a fission reaction of the type neutron + a -> b + c, where a,b,c are isotopes and the sum of b + c 's mass numbers is a's mass number + 1. What else other than mass number factors into what b and c can be given a?

 

[mfb]

The number of protons has to stay constant, and the overall reaction has to be possible in terms of energy.

Often fission releases neutrons in addition to the large fission products.

 

[NotASmurf]

possible in terms of energy

Doesn't fission of heavy nuclides use roughly (same order of magnitude) MeV to split?

 

[mfb]

Some of them can be fissioned with thermal neutrons (meV), and fission of uranium and neighbor nuclei typically releases ~200 MeV.