Atom 06
Atom 06 : Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Disasters. An atom is the smallest unit of which a chemical element is built. An atom is composed of a central core called the nucleus which contains most of the mass of the atom. The nucleus is surrounded by a swarm of electrons the number and arrangement of which determine the chemical behaviour of the atom. Thus, the chemical elements differ in the number of electrons, this number ranging from 1 for the element hydrogen to 105 for hahnium. There are more than 100 elements. Atoms differ also in the relative weights of their nuclei, that is, in atomic weights. Atoms of the same chemical clement (i. e. atoms which have the same number of electrons and the same chemical properties) may have different atomic weights. Such atoms are called Isotopes, and the different in weight of their nuclei reflects the fact that the nuclei contain a different number of neutrons, and that the nuclei of different isotopes behave differently in nuclear reactions. Some of these nuclear reactions, notably nuclear fission release substantial amounts of energy. This is known as atomic energy or nuclear energy
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