It is also said to be «fertile,» because when a uranium 238
atom absorbs a neutron without splitting, it transmutes into plutonium 239, which, like uranium 235, is fissile and can sustain a chain reaction.
Not exact matches
Taleyarkhans group used an organic chemical called acetone, an ingredient in common nail - polish remover, because it is rich in
neutron -
absorbing carbon and hydrogen
atoms.
Problems: sometimes the
neutron goes out and hits a nucleus of the blanket and instead of just ringing it like a bell, it goes and one of the steel
atoms absorb [s] the
neutron; now this makes it different material, [it] makes it brittle, it makes it radioactive.
Their subatomic particles collide, and the iron
atoms» nuclei split, leaving behind helium nuclei plus a few leftover
neutrons and
absorbing a lot of energy in the process.
(1 MeV = 1.602 × 10 - 6 erg) A hydrogen
atom (1H) that
absorbs a fast
neutron releases 2.225 MeV of binding energy and becomes deuterium.