Short Notes:

Fission, from the Latin word for "split", is the process by which an atomic nucleus breaks in two. Fission occurs naturally in radioactive elements such as uranium and plutonium. These elements have large, unstable nuclei, which decay over time. When the force holding a nucleus together dissolves, the protons and neutrons rearrange themselves to form two new atoms, emitting energy and neutrons in the process. The emission of neutrons causes other atoms to decay, leading to a chain reaction that prompts neighbouring atoms to split. When such reactions reach the so-called critical state, they can lead to cataclysmic explosions such as those of atom bombs. In nuclear reactors, where fission is carefully controlled, the heat from the fission of fuels such as uranium-285 can be used to drive steam generators and produce electricity.