Which of the following is usually used to cause fission in an atomic reactor?
Answer Details
Neutrons are usually used to cause fission in an atomic reactor. In a nuclear reactor, a neutron is fired at the nucleus of an atom of fuel, usually uranium-235 or plutonium-239. The neutron is absorbed by the nucleus, which becomes unstable and breaks apart into two smaller nuclei, releasing energy and more neutrons. These newly-released neutrons then go on to cause fission in other fuel nuclei, resulting in a chain reaction that releases a large amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to produce steam, which drives a turbine to generate electricity.