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by Elwood on August 6th, 2009
They are significantly different.
Fission weapons rely on quickly creating a critical mass of U-235 or PU-239. The critical mass creates an amplifying chain reaction that transmutes the fissible isotopes while it blows the mass apart. When the mass begins to blow apart, the reaction becomes more haphazard, and produces all kinds of intermediate fission (radioactive) byproducts, like strontium, cobalt, boron, iodine, and more.
Fission nuclear power relies on inducing a high level of radioactive decay from sub-critical-mass assemblies. The decay does contribute to a chain reaction, along with moderators that either slow or reflect neutron flux. If a fast neutron system is used, the U-238 (the non-radioactive isotope of uranium) is transmuted into PU-239, which can, in turn, be used to fuel further reaction. Plutonium, in fission decay, is MUCH cleaner than uranium, and produces lower quantities of waste, which is also much more manageable.
by H on October 26th, 2007
They are essentially the same - except one is a moderated reaction, and one isn't.
Their products radiate an area for a long time afterwards, however, with a non-exploding situation, we can remove the radioactive rods and dispose of them accordingly, whereas if it explodes, we can't, and we have to sweeped the entire area to clean it up properly.
How much radioactive material can spill into the Pacific Ocean before the ocean is polluted? Not enough nuclear reactors in the world?
by RosieGHM Jetpacker on April 4th, 2011
| 3 people like this
why do they say you can not change a radioactive half life when that is EXACTLY what we do in nuclear reactors and bombs?
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT on December 10th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
What conditions can change the half life of a certain radioactive element?
by Rakhitha91 on January 13th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
How long does it take for a nuclear reactor to cool down naturally even if the coolant supply fails?
by anil m on March 17th, 2011
| 2 people like this
What happened to string theory?
by yhtomit91 on January 3rd, 2011
| 1 person likes this
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