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Why is it that uranium ore does not spontaneously undergo a chain reaction?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Uranium ore contains only a small percentage of uranium for one thing, but also natural uranium contains only 0.7 percent U235. Even pure natural uranium will not cause a chain reaction unless it is surrounded by a moderator such as pure graphite or heavy water. Ordinary water will not allow this to happen.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIn order for a chain reaction to occur, there must be enough radioactive material to join in the reaction. In ore, the levels of reactive uranium is very low; therefore, it is no where near the critical mass of fission, which makes it radioactively inert. However, this does not mean that uranium ore is not radioactive, it just doesn't have enough fuel to start a chain reaction.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThere are no uranium deposits with a critical mass. Critical mass is not just a weight, it also involves purity, shape, and the presence of neutron reflectors.
There were some natural nuclear chain reactions in the past. There is a link to a Wikipedia article below.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agouranium has pretty stable nucleus which splits up when its nucleus is disturbed with a neutron and gives chain reaction
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoBecause is practically impossible to obtain the critical mass of uranium in nature; a strange exception was the Oklo mine in Gabon.
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What particle is needed to begin a nuclear chain reaction?
Neutrons are the important particles of nuclear chain reactions and the reactions depend on them. The neutrons do not really start the fission, reaction, however, because the neutrons come from fission in the fuel.The material in the fuel, typically a mix of 235U and 238U, undergoes fission spontaneously. When a fission event happens, more neutrons, typically two or three, are emitted. These bounce about from atom to atom, until they cause another atom to undergo fission, releasing more neutrons to increase the rate at which atoms undergo fission.But the neutrons needed for the chain reaction are actually produced by the fuel spontaneously, and these are produce in an ongoing manner with or without critical mass. So it is not a particle that starts the chain reaction; it is the act of putting together a critical mass.
What energy source is used for nuclear fuel rods?
uranium. When water is heated, it causes a chain reaction that turns the uranium to plutonium.
Why does a chain reaction not occur in uranium mines?
Mainly because only about 0.7% of uranium is the isotope uranium-235, which is easily fissionable. It is believed that in Earth's remote past, there were such chain reactions - natural reactors - at a time when the percentage of U-235 was higher.
What term describes the reaction process in a fission reaction?
another name for nuclear fission is: E=MC squared
Critical mass is the of material required to produce a chain reaction?
minimum amount
What particle is needed to begin a nuclear chain reaction?
Neutrons are the important particles of nuclear chain reactions and the reactions depend on them. The neutrons do not really start the fission, reaction, however, because the neutrons come from fission in the fuel.The material in the fuel, typically a mix of 235U and 238U, undergoes fission spontaneously. When a fission event happens, more neutrons, typically two or three, are emitted. These bounce about from atom to atom, until they cause another atom to undergo fission, releasing more neutrons to increase the rate at which atoms undergo fission.But the neutrons needed for the chain reaction are actually produced by the fuel spontaneously, and these are produce in an ongoing manner with or without critical mass. So it is not a particle that starts the chain reaction; it is the act of putting together a critical mass.
What is the case of the hydrogen bomb made up of?
Several different materials. One of them is Uranium 238. While it will not normally undergo a nuclear chain reaction, being in the heart of a detonating nuclear weapon is not normal.
What energy source is used for nuclear fuel rods?
uranium. When water is heated, it causes a chain reaction that turns the uranium to plutonium.
Why are radioactive substances useful in fission bombs?
bcoz, they undergo uncontrolled chain reaction,
Chain reaction results when a uranium atom is struck by?
Thermal neutrons
Why does a chain reaction not occur in uranium mines?
Mainly because only about 0.7% of uranium is the isotope uranium-235, which is easily fissionable. It is believed that in Earth's remote past, there were such chain reactions - natural reactors - at a time when the percentage of U-235 was higher.
What term describes the reaction process in a fission reaction?
another name for nuclear fission is: E=MC squared
What do fission of uranium produce?
Uranium fission creates a chain reaction that initiates a chain reaction that grows exponentially into a massive conversion of the potential energy inside the uranium atom into kinetic energy in the form of an explosion - a nuclear explosion. These are the bombs that ended WW2. Today we can split H atoms, which release significantly more energy.
Is a chain reaction more likely in two separate pieces of uranium or in the 2 combined?
Depending on the total mass of uranium and the enrichment, geometry, purity, etc.
What is the process in which you bring about a polymerase chain reaction?
To bring about a polymerase chain reaction DNA sequences are placed in .2-.5ml reaction tubes and then placed in a thermal cycler. To achieve the reaction the sequences must undergo 20-40 temperature changes.
Critical mass is the of material required to produce a chain reaction?
minimum amount
When a few atoms undergo fissions and they cause many more atoms to split this process is called a?
Chain reaction
