Explanations of fission reactions always say there’s a tremendous amount of energy released, but where is that energy? So, if an atom of u-235 was split in a complete vacuum, in what forms(s) would the released energy be?
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Imagine you had 2 strong magnets.
You face them with positive sides facing each other. They start pushing each other away at 3 inches. Using your superior strength, you shorten the distance to 1 inch but are unable to get any further.
You let the magnets go, and they fly off in opposite directions.
Repeat the exercise with 6 magnets and 2 friends. 6 magnets fly away with even greater speed. Where does the energy come from? The potential energy that comes from a repelling force and close proximity.
A uranium atom has 92 protons. Imagine you had 92 repelling magnets at a distance much smaller than a speck of dust, stuck together by the nuclear strong force
What would happen if the strong nuclear force let go? 92 protons and all the neutrons would be launched and boom. (the neutrons would also destabilize other atoms and make a chain reaction but thats a whole other eli5)
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