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pierce15
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Title says it all. Made a few google searches and couldn't find any information. Is there a reason why it is so large, or is it just a coincidence of nature?
135Xe is considered a fission product because it is produced as a byproduct of nuclear fission reactions. When uranium or plutonium atoms undergo fission, they split into smaller fragments, including xenon isotopes such as 135Xe.
A thermal neutron cross section is a measure of the probability that a neutron will be absorbed by a nucleus when it is moving at the same speed as the surrounding atoms, also known as thermal energy. It is a characteristic property of each isotope and is dependent on its nuclear structure.
135Xe has a high thermal neutron cross section because of its large nuclear size and high number of neutrons. This makes it more likely to interact and absorb thermal neutrons, compared to smaller and lighter isotopes.
The high thermal neutron cross section of 135Xe can cause a phenomenon known as "Xenon poisoning" in nuclear reactors. When 135Xe absorbs too many neutrons, it can reduce the number of neutrons available for fission reactions, leading to a decrease in reactor power. This can affect the stability and efficiency of the reactor.
While 135Xe is not commonly used for nuclear energy production, it can be used in certain types of breeder reactors that are designed to produce more nuclear fuel than they consume. In these reactors, 135Xe is converted into fissile 136Xe, which can then undergo fission and release energy. However, this process is not as efficient as using other isotopes such as uranium or plutonium.