why splitting a tiny particle can cause such a devastating blast
In: 651
Because there are a lot of them.
It might be better to not think of the size of individual atoms but how many of them there are in a give volume or mass of fuel.
I mean hydrocarbon molecules and oxygen molecules are pretty small too and you don’t wonder how the can cause explosions when mixed and ignited.
Chemical explosions are weaker than nuclear ones, but that is not down to the size of the individual molecules and atoms.
The difference comes from the fact that chemical reactions make use of the electromagnetic forces that hold atoms together in molecules while nuclear reactions deal with nuclear forces that hold the atomic nucleus together. In both case you induce them to go from one state to another that require less energy to maintain and give up the extra energy. (And in the process help the same reaction happen in other parts nearby.)
The forces holding atoms together are much stronger than the one holding molecules together, so there is a lot more energy to be gained from splitting or merging atoms than from chemical reactions.
Latest Answers