• Question: why cant you split an atom

    Asked by Maddie to Andy, Diana, James, Mary Jane, Wil on 7 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Wilhelmiina Toivo

      Wilhelmiina Toivo answered on 7 Mar 2017:

      I’m not really a physicist, but I do think they can be split into smaller particles (electrons and protons for example). However, if you split an atom, it will no longer be the same material it used to be before splitting, but building material for other atoms

    • Photo: Diana Kornbrot

      Diana Kornbrot answered on 9 Mar 2017:

      atoms are made up of nuclei surrounded by electrons
      it is easy to remove electrons in chemical reacitions or by applying a voltage difference
      atom splitting referes to splitting the ncuclus whihc is made up of protons and neutrons tightly bound together.

      atoms can be split and release enrgy eg uranium is split onc nuclear power stations

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