How did nuclear elements form and why are they so powerful?
In: Planetary Science
Nuclear elements are powerful because they hold potential energy that can be released through fission (The act of cracking the nucleus apart).
They were formed in super novas, as the incredibly high energy that is produced is enough to fuse matter to high atomic weights.
The super high powered isotopes that we use for nuclear energy and weapons are actually so reactive that they don’t actually last very long. And since it has been a long time since the material was created, the only way for it to still be around, is due to it actually being quite stable.
This stability actually limits its potential energy. This requires us to refine and alter the elements to more unstable elements/isotopes. This makes it easier for us to harness the energy on command.
Latest Answers