Talk:Nuclear fission
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In reading this page, two questions were left unanswered for me: a) what makes uranium and plutonium so special that they are easily used for fission? and b) what's a "thermal neutron"? The term is used without any introduction. --joe (joe at xenotropic.net)
- Agree with b) --Chealer 17:10, 2004 Oct 1 (UTC)
b.) "Thermal neutrons" are at a lower energy level than the "fast neutrons" released from the fission process and are more likely to be absorbed into a U235 atom to continue the fission reactions. "Fast neutrons" are moderated in nuclear reactors by the coolant (usually DI water) to slow them down for more fissions to take place...thus the term "thermal reactor."
I think it looked much nicer the way it was, with the image on the right and the text flowing around it. What did you have against that? Mkweise 21:27 Mar 7, 2003 (UTC)
Because to some people including me the width of the image is little too long. -- Taku 21:29 Mar 7, 2003 (UTC)
I wonder what's "isobars". I thought this was a meteorological term only. --66.36.138.130 14:22, 1 Oct 2004 (UTC)
- It's atoms with the same number of nucleons, as the sentence describes. What confused me is that the sentence reads "giving several isobars" instead of for example "i.e. several isobars" so I was wondering if it was something else.--Chealer 16:26, 2004 Oct 28 (UTC)
Removed text:
Uranium's most common isotope is U-235 (there being 235 total protons and neutrons in the nucleus).
That is just plain wrong, see Uranium. Andrewa 16:00, 6 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Criticality Issues
Here or somewhere else with a link, needs a much more detailed discussion of chain reactions, criticality, delayed neutron-fraction and prompt criticality.
Linuxlad 09:59, 26 Nov 2004 (UTC)
ALSO going Prompt-critical does NOT equate to a nuclear bomb. (Most nuclear reactors are designed against a range of postulated reactivity excursions, some of which take them (briefly) 'prompt-critical' - most don't even fail the fuel clad). Nuclear weapons, to be worthy of the name, are ramped through prompt critical at a rate of knots.
- I know; the article really needs an explanation. The point is, it's not enough to be above critical mass, a weapon needs to be above prompt critical mass. There are brief explanations of critical/prompt critical in various places, but there should be one here too. Still, a link to prompt critical is essential. --Andrew 18:13, Apr 11, 2005 (UTC)
Huge loss of content?
Take a look at the changes by 194.83.69.123 on 09:58 3 Nov 2004. Much of the article was deleted, and I don't think anyone caught this. Should it be restored?
- Looks like pure vandalism which was not noticed in time. IMHO, the deleted lines should be reconciled with all the edits to date. We can't just revert to 3 Nov. pstudier 00:31, 2004 Dec 8 (UTC)