fission

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈfɪʃən/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into two or more lighter nuclei, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy, as in nuclear reactors or atomic weapons.; The division of a cell, organism, or group into two or more parts, especially asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms such as bacteria or protozoa.; The act or process of splitting or dividing into parts; a separation or cleavage.; In biology, the division of a population or species into separate groups, often leading to speciation.
  2. verb
    To undergo or cause to undergo fission; to split or divide, especially a nucleus or cell.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: fissions 3rd sing.: fissions Past: fissioned Past part.: fissioned Pres part.: fissioning

Collocations

nuclear fissionfission reactionfission productsinduced fissionspontaneous fissionfission bomb

Derivatives

fissionablefissilefissionability

Synonyms

splittingdivisionfragmentationcleavagedisintegration

Antonyms

fusion

Commonly confused

fusion
EN: 'Fission' is the splitting of a nucleus into smaller parts; 'fusion' is the combining of nuclei into a larger one.
fissure
EN: 'Fissure' refers to a crack or split in a surface (geological/medical); 'fission' refers specifically to nuclear or cellular splitting.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not confuse 'fission' (splitting) with 'fusion' (combining); they are near-opposites in nuclear physics despite similar spelling.

💬 Examples

  1. The fission of uranium-235 releases enough energy to power entire cities.

  2. Amoebas reproduce by binary fission, splitting into two identical daughter cells.

  3. The fission of the political party into two factions weakened its influence.

  4. Geographic fission of the population led to the evolution of distinct species on each island.

  5. When struck by a neutron, the uranium atom fissions and releases additional neutrons.