Blog 2

In this structure we have learned about fission, fusion, and nuclear decay.  Fission is the splitting of an atom.  In a nuclear power plant they control fission by shooting a neutron beam at an atom, it splits the atom and sends off 3 neutrons which then split up other atoms and so on. This would get way out of control without the control rods, which control how much energy is released and how many atoms are split.  Fusion is the smashing of two atoms which causes it to become one.  This is harder to control because when atoms smash they create a new, unstable element.  When creating a new element they sit one atom in the center of a reactor and spin another atom around it until it gains enough energy, then they shoot the spinning atom at the center causing them to smash and create a new element, yet they almost always disappear quickly because they are so unstable.  Nuclear decay is the breaking down of an atom.  There are 2 types of nuclear decay, alpha and beta.  When alpha decay happens a helium atom is released from the element.  When beta decay happens an electron is released from the nucleus and a neutron turns into a proton.