Atomic And Nuclear Physics

14

Nuclear Fission and Fusion

THIS CHAPTER COVERS…

• The concepts of nuclear reactions, particularly with reference to fission and fusion.

• Main features of these reactions.

• The mechanism of artificial nuclear transmutations.

• The nuclear cross-sections.

• The nuclear fission mechanism on the basis of liquid drop model, and mass-yield curve explains the emission of fission fragments.

• The nuclear fusion reactions in detail.

• The controlled nuclear reactions that take place in nuclear reactors and the types of fuels.

• The working principles of explosion/implosion type fission bomb, hydrogen and neutron bombs.

14.1 INTRODUCTION

The reactions considered so far in radioactive materials occur spontaneously, and involve a conversion of mass into (mainly) ...