what happens when you break an atom in half?

Question

what happens when you break an atom in half?

Answer 1

This process is called "fission", and typicly, the atoms aren't broken in half, but instead, a single proton is broken off. Even then, the tiny amount of mass that is destroyed in the process releases a huge amount of energy. This is how our nuclear weapons and power plants work.



Splitting and atom entirely in half would require -far- too much energy to ever be technically feasable. Probobly that much energy would destroy any aparatus set up for the purpose before such a fission could be observed. More likely, we could never harness that much energy to begin with.

Answer 2

You get two different atoms. This happens all the time in radioactive decay. A really big atom, like Plutonium, may fission into ... hmm.. Iodine and something else? I don't remember. There is substantial energy release, but you need a lot to create nuclear explosions.

Ignore the kaboom people. They don't understand nuclear power or nuclear bombs and how the two differ.

Answer 3

Fission is the breaking of an atom. Atoms are the smallest single pieces of the elements (oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, etc.). The elements make up all of the materials / chemicals around us, including us. When you break an atom of one element, you get two or more atoms of different elements with lower atomic weight. Atomic weight is one of the defining properties of an element, but that is another question.

Answer 4

The binding energy that held the two halves (not necessarily mathematically half) together is released and the two parts are repeled away from each other. If the two new parts are unstable they also decay, releasing energy until they become stable. All the additional released energy and particles flying around may be enough to cause neighboring atoms to split causing a chain reaction..

Answer 5

When you break an atom in half it causes a very big explosion. basicly thats why nuclear bombs have such a big explosions because thats what there made of.

Answer 6

It's called the atomic bomb. Maybe you've heard of it

Answer 7

You have 1/2 an atom....



Congrats!

Answer 8

Lots, lots, lots, lots, & more lots than I can type - of energy!!!!!! And some atomic waste that can't ever be gotten rid of!

Answer 9

they don't split in half. normally you just knock a chunk off composing of neutrons, electrons, or protons dependin on the energy given off

Answer 10

you get 2 mini atoms

Answer 11

Nuclear fission...more dangerous than fusion...it's why we don't use it...too much energy involved.



Those little electons pack quite a punch

Answer 12

That is the principle of nuclear explosions, AKA: a really big boom.



(Naturaly theres more to it than that)

Answer 13

You release energy

Answer 14

You can no longer return it to the store -- you break it, you buy it.

Answer 15

you would really exploed half of the world



when you spit a atom it will make a ringing sound then....... KABOOOOM

Answer 16

It explodes

Answer 17

you create an explosion that might kill all the people were it was broken

Answer 18

nuclear explosion

Answer 19

KABOOM!

Answer 20

BOOM!

Answer 21

BOOM!