this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2025
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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (18 children)

As I've learned more, the energy from a single atom is not much. They split nitrogen long before uranium but it didn't really matter. You need the chain reaction of uranium.

From Gemini:

The energy released from a single uranium atom splitting is an infinitesimally tiny fraction of what's needed to even warm a mug of water. You would need the simultaneous fission of approximately 1.96 quadrillion (1,960,000,000,000,000) uranium atoms to heat a single mug of water.

*JFC what's up with the downvotes? Because I used Gemini?

[–] ricdeh@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Isn't that common knowledge? I don't think that anyone seriously believes that splitting a single atom causes an explosion.

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'd wager loads of people with no scientific knowledge do.

[–] JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I'd wager they don't even know what you mean by "splitting an atom" and wouldn't give a rat's ass whether it released any energy.

[–] 0ops@piefed.zip 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

altr

I mean I'm not saying that you're an expert, but my us highschool education regarding nuclear fission was pretty handwavy, and won't come up again in most careers

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