A sphere of pure U-235 will explode if it is
A)hot enough.
B)shaken hard enough.
C)big enough.
D)small enough.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A sphere of pure U-235 will explode if it is big enough. This is because when the mass of U-235 exceeds the critical mass, a chain reaction of nuclear fission occurs, which releases a huge amount of energy in the form of an explosion. Hot temperature or shaking does not directly cause an explosion in U-235. However, high temperature can cause the uranium to vaporize, which increases the likelihood of a critical mass being reached, and shaking can cause the uranium to spread out, reducing its density and making it less likely to reach critical mass.

A Sphere of Pure U-235 Will Explode If It Is