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Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger binding energies per nucleon—that is, mass numbers and binding energies per nucleon that are closer to the “peak” of the binding energy graph near 56. Sometimes neutrons are also produced. This decomposition of a large nucleus into smaller pieces is called fission. The breaking is rather random with the formation of a large...
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Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by bombardment with neutrons has six components: nuclear fuel consisting of fissionable material, a nuclear moderator, a neutron source, control rods, reactor coolant, and a shield and containment system.
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Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
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The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
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Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed...
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Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
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Why we write (nuclear) history.

David K Hecht1

  • 1Bowdoin College.

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This summary is machine-generated.

Nuclear history encompasses atomic threats, carbon-free energy, and radiation studies. Recent scholarship expands beyond politics to include cultural and environmental nuclear history.

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Area of Science:

  • Nuclear history
  • Science and technology studies
  • Radiation studies

Background:

  • Nuclear history has evolved significantly since the Cold War.
  • Historiography now includes cultural, environmental, and transnational studies alongside technical and political analyses.
  • The field explores the existential threat of nuclear weapons, the promise of nuclear energy, and the nature of radiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and analyze recent additions to nuclear history scholarship.
  • To highlight the complementary and contrasting insights of two specific books: Campos's "Radium and the Secret Life" and Jorgensen's "Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation."
  • To reflect on the evolving nature of nuclear history in the early twenty-first century.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scholarly literature in nuclear history.
  • Analysis of two specific books examining radium and radiation.
  • Comparative study of historical and scientific perspectives on nuclear topics.

Main Results:

  • Campos's book offers a rigorous account of radium's use in early 20th-century biology.
  • Jorgensen's book provides an accessible analysis of radiation's benefits and risks.
  • The reviewed books complement each other, offering diverse perspectives on nuclear history.

Conclusions:

  • Nuclear history remains a compelling field with diverse and evolving scholarly approaches.
  • The study of radium and radiation continues to be relevant, offering insights into both historical applications and contemporary understanding.
  • Juxtaposing different scholarly works enriches our understanding of the multifaceted nature of nuclear history.