Note: Free neutrons decay after about 15 minutes of proper time.mathman said:The nucleus of an Uranium atom in an atomic bomb breaks up into several parts, two lighter nuclei plus some left over neutrons. All the particles that make up the original nucleus (protons and neutrons) survive as parts of the residual parts. The electrons from the original atom get blown off, but they also survive.
Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. They are extremely small particles that make up everything in the universe. When atoms are destroyed through nuclear reactions or other processes, they can release a tremendous amount of energy which can cause destruction. Atoms can also be transformed through chemical reactions, where they combine with other atoms to create new substances.
Nuclear fission is a process in which a heavy atom, such as uranium, is split into smaller atoms. This process releases a large amount of energy and is the basis for nuclear power. Atoms are involved in nuclear fission as they are the particles that make up the nucleus of the atom which is split during the process.
In a chemical reaction, atoms rearrange themselves to form new substances. This can happen through the breaking and forming of chemical bonds between atoms. For example, in the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water, the atoms of hydrogen and oxygen combine to form the new molecule of water.
Atoms cannot be destroyed completely. According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. This means that while atoms can be split or rearranged, their total number and mass remains constant.
Atoms have been used for destruction through nuclear weapons, where the energy released from splitting atoms causes immense destruction. Atoms have also been used for transformation in various industries, such as in the production of fertilizers and plastics through chemical reactions involving atoms.