Lise Meitner and Nuclear Fission | AMS OpenMind скачать в хорошем качестве

Lise Meitner and Nuclear Fission | AMS OpenMind

“Split an atom, and you’ll get a lot of energy.” Atomic bombs and nuclear power plants are based on this idea by Lise Meitner. How did she make this discovery that changed the course of human history? At the beginning of the 20th century, the secrets of atoms were being uncovered: first radioactivity, then the atomic nucleus surrounded by electrons, and later protons and neutrons within the nucleus, which was thought to be solid. The more protons an atom had, the heavier the element. Scientists were filling gaps in the periodic table as they discovered new elements until they reached a limit: Uranium. There were no heavier elements in nature, so researchers tried to create heavier atoms in the lab. 🧪 This was exactly what Lise Meitner was attempting in 1938, alongside Otto Hahn. They made a great team: she, a theoretical physicist; he, an experimental chemist. They bombarded uranium atoms with neutrons, expecting two outcomes: either the neutron would join the atom, creating a new, heavier element, or it would destabilize the atom, creating a slightly lighter element. The results surprised them: Hahn found neither of these expected elements but two much lighter ones. Both were already known and weighed about half of a uranium atom. However, some of the original uranium mass was missing. 🤔 Trying to explain these mysteries, Meitner wondered: what if the nucleus was liquid, not solid? In that case, the neutron could hit the nucleus, elongate it, and split it into two drops. And what about the missing mass? According to Einstein’s famous equation, mass can be converted into energy. As Meitner calculated, that would be a lot of energy. Thus, she experimentally proved that nuclear fission of atoms was a powerful energy source—the most potent. ⚛️ Atomic energy became a daily reality, for better and for worse, thanks to these researchers. Otto Hahn received the Nobel Prize, while Lise Meitner joined the ranks of women who deserved a Nobel but did not receive one. 🌟 #LiseMeitner #NuclearFission #AtomicEnergy #ScienceHistory #WomenInScience #Physics #Innovation #Education #learnsomethingnew A video by ‪@scienseed4294‬ for Ventana al conocimiento