48 (1), 62 (1980)ġ Mouse traps are 10cm × 5cm in size, manufactured by Woodstream Corp., Lititz, PA or d-Con Corp., Montvale, NJ. Setting up the last few traps while the students await the lecture to begin, dripping brow and shaking hands, certainly adds some drama. Higbie (see Reference) has described a 'better' mousetrap nuclear chain reaction but we prefer the old fashioned way. The mouse trap chain reaction originated (we think) from Walt Disney's 1950s film 'Our Friend the Atom.' We've got the set-up time down to 15 minutes, and like all nuclear devices, you only get one shot at this one. Provide an initiating neutron, and keep the top hole covered until detonation. Our case is mounted on wheels, so it can be loaded and wheeled (carefully) into the hall when needed. It can be removed just before the last traps (keep track of the least sensitive traps for last) are laid and loaded. We found that a removable partition placed in the case splitting the sample in half allows two people to set up the traps without interfering with each other (or suffering from the other's foul-ups). Start loading the traps on the far side of the case, and work towards you. When loading the balls, rest the ball on the catch arm on the opposite side to the bait catch if you drop the ball from a small height it will be less likely to trigger. Set each trap, tap it lightly to make sure it isn't too hair-triggered, and slide into position all traps facing the same way. It is advisable to set and lay the traps before you load them. These are for loading the balls on the traps. The plexiglass case has two portholes, 20cm diameter, 10cm above the floor of the case. If ever you envied those daring bomb disposal guys, here's a setup to test your nerve. Thus a chain reaction ensues the whole explosion lasts about three seconds. Now there are two ping-pong balls each capable of setting off a trap. When an extra ping-pong ball is dropped through a hole in the top of the case, it lands and triggers a trap. The traps represent the fissile atoms, and the balls the neutrons. We have a 120 × 70 × 100cm high plexiglass case, onto whose base we set a 6 × 23 array of mouse traps. Disadvantages Difficult to dispose the radioactive waste from the nuclear fission reaction. Nuclear fission & fusion ppt animation BalkrushnaBhuva 5.3K views. N + 235U → 236U* → 141Ba + 92Kr + 3n How it works: Nuclear fission - Download as a PDF or view online for free. If there is above a critical concentration of fissile material, this chain reaction will continue unaided, and if unregulated can result in a very loud bang. Each of these neutrons can in turn cause the fission of a 235U nucleus. The resulting unstable nucleus fragments into two smaller nuclei, releasing energy and several neutrons (a typical equation is given below). In a nuclear reactor or atom bomb, a fissile material such as 235U can capture a neutron.

Nuclear fission reactor animation