An explosion does not result from a small piece of ²³⁵U because: A)"it does not fission" B)"the neutrons released move too fast" C)"²³⁸U is required" D)"too many neutrons escape, preventing a chain reaction from starting" E)"a few neutrons must be injected to start the chain reaction"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The options "it does not fission" and "²³⁸U is required" are not valid reasons for the lack of explosion. The options "the neutrons released move too fast" and "a few neutrons must be injected to start the chain reaction" are related to the concept of critical mass and do not directly address why a small piece of the material would not cause an explosion. The correct answer is D, as it states that too many neutrons would escape the small piece, preventing a self-sustaining chain reaction and thus an explosion from occurring.

An Explosion Does Not Result from a Small Piece of 235U

An Explosion Does Not Result from a Small Piece of ²³⁵U