I do wonder what it would look like if only one singular helium atom underwent fission. Would we even notice it? Or would it still cause enough of an explosion to injure?
Splitting a Helium atom would require energy, not release it. Up until iron, fusion releases energy. For larger atoms, it’s fission that releases energy.
And this is the very reason that iron (Fe) is the heaviest element that is created at the core of stars. Any heavier elements can only be created by highly energetic events like supernovas. Yay for physics!
Helium typically doesn’t undergo fission, but you wouldn’t notice of it did. Millions of atoms in your body are undergoing fission at any given time. People only notice when a LOT of atoms undergo fission at the same time.
I do wonder what it would look like if only one singular helium atom underwent fission. Would we even notice it? Or would it still cause enough of an explosion to injure?
Splitting a Helium atom would require energy, not release it. Up until iron, fusion releases energy. For larger atoms, it’s fission that releases energy.
And this is the very reason that iron (Fe) is the heaviest element that is created at the core of stars. Any heavier elements can only be created by highly energetic events like supernovas. Yay for physics!
Helium typically doesn’t undergo fission, but you wouldn’t notice of it did. Millions of atoms in your body are undergoing fission at any given time. People only notice when a LOT of atoms undergo fission at the same time.
Here’s a re-enactment!