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=**The Development of the Nuclear Reactor**= By Chris Noble and Ryan Schoeplein

__**Introduction and Date of Event**__ Nuclear fission was first experimentally achieved by the Italian physicist Enrico Fermi in 1934, although he had no idea that he was dealing with nuclear fission. Further research by German chemists determined that by bombarding uranium atoms with neutrons led to the atoms splitting into two equal pieces, thus identifying nuclear fission. With this more detailed information, Fermi realized that if nuclear fission released additional neutrons then a self-sustained nuclear reaction could occur. Thus, in 1942 he led a team from the University of Chicago to successfully construct the first artificial nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1.

__**Historical Context**__ With the outbreak of World War 2, the very idea of nuclear weapons and reactors was kept secret by the government. For years afterward, even after the end of the war, nuclear technological development of any kind was kept under wraps. Nuclear secrecy was pivotal for the government of the United States for fear that the Germans would develop the use of nuclear weapons before them. Indeed, Fermi was actually kept from his research of nuclear fission by the government for fear of him being an Italian spy.

__**Discription of Event and Enrico Fermi**__ The first artificial nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1, was crudely built merely for experimental demonstration. It was a spherical pile of graphite and uranium blocks constructed so that the neutrons from the uranium would slow down as they went through the graphite, this would allow the neutrons to hit more uranium atoms, thus keeping the reaction going. Additionally, cadmium rods were inserted into the pile to control the strength of the reaction by absorbing neutrons. If one rod was removed, the reaction would strengthen, and if replaced, it would dampen it, this kept the reaction under control. At 3:45 PM on December 2, 1942, the pile became the first self sustained nuclear reactor. Video of first reactor [|http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/421763/nuclear-reactor/45805/History-of-reactor-development#tab=active~checked%][|2Citems~checked&title=nuclear%20reactor%20%3A%3A%20History%20of%20reactor%20development%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Enc][|yclopedia]

Enrico Fermi was the mastermind behind the development of the nuclear reactor. A refugee from facist Italy, Fermi came to America and began work as a professor at Columbia University. In 1938, the German chemist Otto Hahn discovered nuclear fission. The news traveled across the Atlantic and eventually reached Fermi. Immediately, he went to the University of Chicago to begin construction on Chicago Pile-1. Without Enrico Fermi, the self sustaining nuclear reactor may not have been discovered for years. This massive breakthrough in atomic technology set the stage for the later development of atomic weapons and other military use as well as civil use with the building of nuclear reactors for electricity.

__**Importance of Nuclear Reactor**__ Nuclear reactions create alternate forms of energy and electricity. As of July 2008, there were more than 430 operating nuclear power plants which provided about 15% of the world's electricity in 2007. Some counties depend on nuclear power more than others. For example, 77% of electricity in France is generated through nuclear power plants. In the United States, about 20% of electricity is nuclear energy.

__**Interesting Fact!**__ Nuclear power amounts to 17% of the world's electricity today.

__**How is this related to chemistry?**__ A nuclear fission event occurs when a slow-paced neutron is absorbed by a uranium atom. This results in this atom splitting into lighter and faster particles, called fission products, and free neutrons. This can turn into a chain reaction if the fission products and free neutrons hit other uranium atoms nearby. This process creates heat, or energy. Here is visual for a nuclear reactor: media type="youtube" key="DT0ZNPz3t2o&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" height="349"