Eli5: What exactly are the conditions that have to be met for a nuclear reaction to occur? Why does it have to involve Uranium 235 and similar isotopes? The world is made out of atoms. If we were to split the nuclei of the atoms of like a T shirt would it cause a nuclear reaction?

Question

Eli5: What exactly are the conditions that have to be met for a nuclear reaction to occur? Why does it have to involve Uranium 235 and similar isotopes? The world is made out of atoms. If we were to split the nuclei of the atoms of like a T shirt would it cause a nuclear reaction?

In: 6

Answer 1

Nuclear reactions happen all the time. The problem is sustaining it (and not letting it get out of control).

In fission an atom splits up and throws out some particles. If those particles hit another unsteady atom in just the right way the other particle will undergo fission and split too, causing a sustained reaction.

The problem is most of the time the initial reaction doesn’t hit another unstable atom in just the right way so it isn’t sustained. You need to get enough unstable atoms.together in a high concentration, then usually add something else to try and “catch” the particles flying about and direct them to another unstable atom.