Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann's Nuclear Fission
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Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann's discovery of nuclear fission in December 1938 marked a pivotal moment in nuclear physics. Initially, they were following Enrico Fermi's work, bombarding uranium with neutrons to create heavier elements. However, their experiments unexpectedly revealed that uranium split into lighter elements, such as barium, indicating a previously unknown process. This finding contradicted the prevailing belief that neutron bombardment would only form heavier elements. Hahn and Strassmann's work was crucial in understanding nuclear fission, a process where a nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, releasing significant energy. Their discovery, explained theoretically by Lise Meitner and Otto Robert Frisch, opened the possibility of nuclear chain reactions. This breakthrough led to significant advancements in nuclear energy and weapons development. Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944 for this groundbreaking discovery. The team's findings revolutionized nuclear physics, introducing a new era of research and applications.
