Nuclear Physics Explained
Season 1
Ep 15. Splitting the Nucleus
- TV-PG
- April 27, 2018
- 28 min
The discovery of the neutron in 1932 led to the insight that neutrons can incite certain heavy elements to fission (break apart), releasing more neutrons and a prodigious amount of energy. In this lecture, lay the groundwork for understanding nuclear weapons and nuclear power by investigating nuclei that are prone to fission, how to initiate fission, and the "daughter nuclei" that result.