Top of Part 3 Last page

3-5: Summary of Part 3

Let us summarize what we have learned in Part 3.

(1)

When such a nuclear reaction as fission or fusion takes place, if the total binding energy after the reaction is larger than before the reaction, the energy exess would be released. This is the origin of nuclear energy.

(2)

The amount of the released nuclear energy is enormous and it is about several 100 million times as large as an ordinary chemical reaction (or combustion).

(3)

The interaction between nucleons constituting a nucleus is called the nuclear force. It is the origin of the nuclear binding energy.

(4)

A heavy nucleus such as uranium has always a possibility to fission. Especially, if uranium-235 absorbs a slow neutron, it would split into two fragments with almost equal masses. When nuclear chain reactions occur for uranium-235 or plutonium-239, huge amounts of energy are released.

(5)

The binding energies of light nuclei fluctuate very much as a function of the mass number. Utilizing this fluctuation, we can get enormous amount of energy through nuclear fusion reaction.

Throughout Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of the present seminar, "Microscopic World -3- (The World of the Atomic Nucleus)", we have learned fundamental subjects on the nuclear physics. There remain many other interesting topics concerning the atomic nuclei. They will be discussed at some other opportunities. We are looking forward to your requirments and opinions.

Go back to the top page of Part 3. Go back to the last page.