Why is uranium-235 the most common isotope for nuclear fission in current use in nuclear power generation?

Question

Chemistry

Rene Ward

18 December, 17:10

Why is uranium-235 the most common isotope for nuclear fission in current use in nuclear power generation?

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Alma Pena · Answer 1

Uranium is the basic element found in abundance on Earth.

Nuclear fission occurs when one atom splits into two, creating energy. Spontaneous fission occurs all the time.

Uranium undergoes spontaneous fission at a very slow rate, and emits radiation. Uranium-235 (U-235) is only found in about 0.7 percent of uranium found naturally, but it is well-suited for producing nuclear power.

This is because it decays naturally by a process known as alpha radiation. This means that it releases an alpha particle (two neutrons and two protons connected together).

Another reason that U-235 is ideal for producing nuclear power is that unlike most materials, U-235 can undergo induced fission. When a free neutron collides with a U-235 nucleus, the nucleus will usually capture the neutron and split extremely quickly. The splitting of a single U-235 atom can release roughly 200 MeV (million electron volts).