What Do You Know About Atomic Energy?
Atom is the source of atomic energy. Every atom has particles of energy. Parts of an atom are held together by energy. For atomic energy source of energy is the core of an atom. When the atom is split, energy is released.
Energy is obtained, from atoms in two ways. One is called ‘fusion’ and the other is called ‘fission’. When fusion takes place two atoms are combined into one. This fusion of atoms gives rise to the release of a lot of energy in the form of heat. The energy gives off from the Sun comes from fusion taking place in the Sun and this is one form of atomic energy.
The other form of atomic energy comes from the fission process. One atom splitting into two is the result of fission. When atoms are hit with neutral atomic particles such as neutrons, this hitting is called bombarding also; a lot of heat energy is released. An atom does not split on every hitting by neutrons. Actually, most atoms can not be made to even, split. The uranium and plutonium atoms split under proper conditions and stipulations.
One form of uranium called ‘U-235’, also called an ‘isotope’ of uranium breaks into two fragments when hit with neutrons. A tremendous amount of energy is released. About 450 grams U-235 gives more than 1,000,000 times as much energy as could be obtained from the same quantity of cool. A tiny pebble of uranium could run an airplane, or a generator, or an Oceanliner.