SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum - View Single Post - Swedish man arrested after trying to split atoms in his kitchen

04-08-11, 01:58 PM

I have the feeling that this bloke wasn't very bright when it came to understanding the behaviour of radioactive materials, given quote of "describing how he created a small meltdown on his stove"....

A meltdown is when a critical mass melts under the heat of the fission chain reaction within it, the reaction releases HUGE amounts of energy and equally huge amounts of radiation, it's not something you're likely to survive seeing with your own eyes... You also need a pretty significant amount of material - somewhere around 15Kg for Uranium 233.

Melting a supposedly radioactive sample over a gas stove isn't a meltdown. Given the molten material will spread out in a thin layer on the bottom of the pan, you're actually moving further away from the critical mass situation that wasn't there in the first place....

Grade A Muppet!

04-08-11, 01:58 PM	#4
LankyIanB Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Swedish man arrested after trying to split atoms in his kitchen I have the feeling that this bloke wasn't very bright when it came to understanding the behaviour of radioactive materials, given quote of "describing how he created a small meltdown on his stove".... A meltdown is when a critical mass melts under the heat of the fission chain reaction within it, the reaction releases HUGE amounts of energy and equally huge amounts of radiation, it's not something you're likely to survive seeing with your own eyes... You also need a pretty significant amount of material - somewhere around 15Kg for Uranium 233. Melting a supposedly radioactive sample over a gas stove isn't a meltdown. Given the molten material will spread out in a thin layer on the bottom of the pan, you're actually moving further away from the critical mass situation that wasn't there in the first place.... Grade A Muppet!