QUESTION IMAGE
Question
what particle initiates a nuclear fission reaction? proton electron photon neutron
Nuclear fission is a process where a heavy nucleus splits into smaller nuclei. A neutron is the particle that initiates this reaction. When a neutron collides with a heavy nucleus (like uranium - 235), it is absorbed, making the nucleus unstable and causing it to split. Protons are positively charged and would be repelled by the positively charged nucleus. Electrons are too light and not involved in the nuclear structure in this way. Photons are particles of light and do not initiate nuclear fission.
Snap & solve any problem in the app
Get step-by-step solutions on Sovi AI
Photo-based solutions with guided steps
Explore more problems and detailed explanations
Neutron