Nuclear fission
A nuclear fission reaction involves a large "parent" nucleus being split to form multiple smaller "daughter" nuclei.
In nuclear fission reactions, the daughter nuclei are more bound than the parent nucleus. The daughter nuclei therefore have less energy than the parent nucleus (recall that the more bound a nucleus is, the less energy it has). This leaves an excess amount of energy, released as kinetic energy and electromagnetic radiation.
In nuclear fission reactions, the daughter nuclei are more bound than the parent nucleus. The daughter nuclei therefore have less energy than the parent nucleus (recall that the more bound a nucleus is, the less energy it has). This leaves an excess amount of energy, released as kinetic energy and electromagnetic radiation.
Mousetrap analogy
The relationship between the amount of energy required to produce a fission reaction and the amount of energy produced by a fission reaction can be thought of like a mousetrap.
The coulomb force which acts to break the nucleus apart can be thought of as the spring.
The nuclear force which is constantly trying to bind the nucleus together can be thought of as the latch.
The latch is holding back the spring, and if you pop off the latch then the spring's energy is released.
A heavy nucleus like uranium is like a mousetrap with a loose latch (the mousetrap is easy to trigger). It takes very little energy to trigger, therefore you get a lot more energy out than you put in.
A light nucleus like carbon is like a mousetrap with a very tight latch (the mousetrap is hard to trigger). It takes a lot of energy to trigger, therefore you don't get a lot more energy out than you put in.
The coulomb force which acts to break the nucleus apart can be thought of as the spring.
The nuclear force which is constantly trying to bind the nucleus together can be thought of as the latch.
The latch is holding back the spring, and if you pop off the latch then the spring's energy is released.
A heavy nucleus like uranium is like a mousetrap with a loose latch (the mousetrap is easy to trigger). It takes very little energy to trigger, therefore you get a lot more energy out than you put in.
A light nucleus like carbon is like a mousetrap with a very tight latch (the mousetrap is hard to trigger). It takes a lot of energy to trigger, therefore you don't get a lot more energy out than you put in.
Applications (click for description)
Tsar Bomba (largest nuclear weapon ever detonated)
The Tsar Bomba was the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated, and the most physically destructive device mankind has ever used.
It had a yield of 50 to 58 Megatons; equivalent to 1,350–1,570 times the combined power of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The mushroom cloud was approximately 64km high; more than 7 times the height of Mount Everest.
The 3 images below show the different zones of destruction, had the bomb been detonated in Wellington.
It had a yield of 50 to 58 Megatons; equivalent to 1,350–1,570 times the combined power of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The mushroom cloud was approximately 64km high; more than 7 times the height of Mount Everest.
The 3 images below show the different zones of destruction, had the bomb been detonated in Wellington.