Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: neilep on 30/09/2007 18:23:37
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Hi Atomisers !
Here's an atom...
[ Invalid Attachment ]
It's NOT to scale !!...nice isn't it ?...notice how busy and well together it is ?
Extra browny points if you can tell me what atom it is !!
But how do the clever bods who luff to blow things up split them ?
What exactly is split apart in an atom ?...and can any atom be split ?...and finally...does an atom of one element give rise to a different quantity pf energy release than another type of atom
I wanted to ask someone else these atomic questions but I thought it best to let ewe at 'em !!......(Groan !!)
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I count 8 electrons, which would (if it is an electrical neutral atom) make it oxygen. I can also count 8 nucleons of one or other type (either proton or neutron) in the nucleus, which would be consistent with oxygen, except that one would expect some of the nucleons to be out of view, which should imply that this is a positively charged ion of an atom that is heavier that oxygen.
As for splitting it - the notion of splitting an atom really means splitting the nucleus (removing electrons is merely considered ionisation rather than fission of the atom).
If one takes Oxygen as an example, for instance 16O, then if one split it into two equal parts (atoms rarely split into equal parts, but for a hypothetical instance, it is simpler to consider equal splits), then you will have two atoms Beryllium (8Be).
What is more ambiguous is when an atom emits alpha radiation, since technically alpha radiation is actually a Helium nuclei (4[/sub]He), and so is a primitive form of fission.
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Well...I'm convinced !!
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I count 8 electrons, which would (if it is an electrical neutral atom) make it oxygen. I can also count 8 nucleons of one or other type (either proton or neutron) in the nucleus, which would be consistent with oxygen, except that one would expect some of the nucleons to be out of view, which should imply that this is a positively charged ion of an atom that is heavier that oxygen.
As for splitting it - the notion of splitting an atom really means splitting the nucleus (removing electrons is merely considered ionisation rather than fission of the atom).
If one takes Oxygen as an example, for instance 16O, then if one split it into two equal parts (atoms rarely split into equal parts, but for a hypothetical instance, it is simpler to consider equal splits), then you will have two atoms Beryllium (8Be).
What is more ambiguous is when an atom emits alpha radiation, since technically alpha radiation is actually a Helium nuclei (4[/sub]He), and so is a primitive form of fission.
George,
Expect your prize in the post !....a subscription to SKY TV !! *chortle chortle* (in-joke)
THANK YOU GEORGE....
..so..presumably Hydrogen is the easiest atom to split ?
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Cats lover?
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Hi Atomisers !
Here's an atom...
[ Invalid Attachment ]
It's NOT to scale !!...nice isn't it ?...notice how busy and well together it is ?
Extra browny points if you can tell me what atom it is !!
But how do the clever bods who luff to blow things up split them ?
What exactly is split apart in an atom ?...and can any atom be split ?...and finally...does an atom of one element give rise to a different quantity pf energy release than another type of atom
I wanted to ask someone else these atomic questions but I thought it best to let ewe at 'em !!......(Groan !!)
From hydrogen to Iron, splitting an atom requires energy; from iron to heavier elements, splitting an atom releases energy. In the first case, it's melting nuclei into heavier ones that releases energy (and it's exploited in nuclear fusion).
Look at here and tell me if you have understood:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Binding_energy_curve_-_common_isotopes.svg
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As Hydrogen consists of one lone Proton and its associated Electron the only thing it could be split into would be its constituent Quarks, this would require a vast amount of energy although it has been suggested that this might occur in the larger Neutron stars.
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As Hydrogen consists of one lone Proton and its associated Electron the only thing it could be split into would be its constituent Quarks, this would require a vast amount of energy although it has been suggested that this might occur in the larger Neutron stars.
In theory you could split the proton into a neutron and a positron; although soon later (half life about 13 seconds), it will probably convert back to a proton and electron.
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As Hydrogen consists of one lone Proton and its associated Electron the only thing it could be split into would be its constituent Quarks, this would require a vast amount of energy although it has been suggested that this might occur in the larger Neutron stars.
I thought quarks were so tightly bound that they can't be separated. You never find an isolated quark.
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"I thought quarks were so tightly bound that they can't be separated. You never find an isolated quark."
Indeed they are tightly bound but I understand that at sufficiently high energies a Quark plasma is formed when they do not collase into individual Hadrons
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In theory you could split the proton into a neutron and a positron; although soon later (half life about 13 seconds), it will probably convert back to a proton and electron.
The process is right, but I wouldn't call it "split":
neutron's mass + positron's mass > proton's mass.
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In theory you could split the proton into a neutron and a positron; although soon later (half life about 13 seconds), it will probably convert back to a proton and electron.
Isn't that why they use helium?
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To do what?
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You split atoms by shooting a neutron at a nucleus because it it is easier to hit a nucleus with a nutron because it is not charged. Now small atoms just tend to soak up neutrons without splitting it is only certain very large nuclei notably Uranium 235 and Plutonium (not sure of the atomic weight) because they are a bit unstable. they then fall apart into two approximately equal parts plus a few spare neutrons. given the correct conditions these spare neurons can be used to set up a chain reaction. so the answer is that very few heavy atoms can be split to release energy. I could go into more detail but it gets very complicated and I woud suggest you look up nuclear fission to get more details.
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...I woud suggest you look up nuclear fission to get more details.
Or "newkiller fishin'" as George W calls it.