Page 19 - All About History - Issue 11-14

Science

5 TYPES OF…
How not to split an atom
In August 2011, a Swedish man was arrested after making ATOM-AGE
an ill-advised attempt at conducting the experiment
required to split the atom – in his own home. According MILESTONES
to the 31-year-old Richard Handl, he acquired the
radioactive elements of radium, americium and uranium
and spent months trying to construct a nuclear reactor, at FIRST ATOM SPLIT
one point even causing a small meltdown on his kitchen 1917
stove. “I have always been interested by physics and
Achieved by physicist Ernest
chemistry”, he said, before adding that he just wanted to
Rutherford, who uses nitrogen
“see if it’s possible to split atoms at home.” He was later
and alpha particles for his
acquitted of two of the three charges, although at the
experiment, it also leads to the
time of writing he could still be prosecuted for crimes
discovery and subsequent naming
against the radiation safety law.
of the proton particle.
NUCLEAR FISSION
OF HEAVY ELEMENTS
DISCOVERED
1938
Chemist Otto Hahn and his
**********
assistant Fritz Strassman discover
A B C D
E F G H
I J K L how to conduct the nuclear
fission of heavy elements (those
after iron in the periodic table).
NUCLEAR FISSION
THEORETICALLY
RADIATION EXPLAINED
1939
Lise Meitner and her assistant
Otto Robert Frisch theoretically
Enrich the fissionable material Stay safe! explain the process of the fission
After you’ve chosen which material to use, it needs As large amounts of alpha, beta and gamma radiation of heavy elements, bringing the
03 to be augmented so the ratio of highly radioactive 04 will be emitted both during the reaction and by the practical application of fission one
step closer to reality.
isotopes to less radioactive ones is increased. This is because material itself, take steps to make sure you’re working in a
as radioactivity increases, so too does the neutron-to-proton protected environment. To do this, surround the area of the FIRST NUCLEAR
ratio. As reactions occur thanks to neutrons colliding with experiment with several feet of concrete or a similar material
other nuclei, it increases the chance of a reaction taking place. to absorb the radiation. REACTOR BUILT
1942
Chicago Pile-1, the world’s
DANGER! first nuclear reactor proper, is
constructed as part of the now-
infamous Manhattan Project, led
by Robert Oppenheimer.
HIROSHIMA AND
NAGASAKI BOMBED
1945
The horrific culmination of the
discoveries brought forward
********** by splitting an atom. Tens of
A B C D thousands are killed by the
E F G H
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.
I J K L

Commence the experiment Put it to practical use
First, fire a beam of neutrons at the fissionable Now that you have split the atom and helped the
05 material. Once they come into contact with an atom 06 advancement of science, you can repeat and expand
its nucleus will divide into two, and you will have successfully the process into the size of an entire nuclear plant, so you can
achieved your aim of splitting an atom. The heat generated store energy and provide electricity to society through your
from this reaction (and the released neutrons colliding with country’s existing power grid. Nuclear energy is one way to
other nuclei) can be used in nuclear stations to produce power. support humanity’s constantly growing need for energy.

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