Why is the "Elephant's Foot" in Chernobyl's core still LITERALLY hot? I mean, what in the world?? That is so amazingly weird.
>>7666657
>what is radioactivity
>>7666664
Yeah, I know it's caused by radiation, but WHY does that happen?
>>7666672
It's radioactive
>>7666674
Plz boss, ur not answering teh question...
>>7666684
What part of it's radioactive don't you understand?
>>7666684
He literally answered it already. Try thinking about why radiation would make something hot for thirty seconds. I'll wait. When you're ready, scroll down to check the answer.
...
It's because radioactivity means something is emitting radiation, which means it's giving off energy. Some of this energy is imparted to the atom giving off the radiation, by the law of conservation of momentum. Also, some of the emitted radiation is absorbed within the chunk itself. Both of these cause the chunk to heat up.
Thermal power from decaying plutonium isotopes is what powers the radiothermal generators in space probes like Curiosity.
Stored Energy
Radiation is energy.
>>7666707
Would it theoretically be possible to use the elephant's foot as an energy source?
>>7666735
Sure, in the same way you could use a campfire as an energy source.
>>7666735
Sure.
>>7666735
Congratulations, you just invented the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.
You can read more about your brand new invention here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator
Just wait until you figure out controlled fission, we could make nuclear reactors with that!
>>7666759
>being this salty
>>7666672
You know, if you want an answer that isn't handwavy maybe you should pick up a heat transfer textbook instead of trying to get people to spoonfeed it to you without knowing your background.
>>7666759
Autistic people tend to be confused as to why others don't know what they know.
>mocking people for wanting to learn
>literally being no better than Harlem
>>7666759
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/04/01/how-the-internet-makes-you-think-youre-smarter-than-you-really-are/
>>7666762
>thinking that's what salty means
>>7666786
I'm literally getting dehydrated from all the salt you are producing.
>>7666794
Thank you. Finally someone gets it.
>>7666759
Cool your jets, neckbeard.
>>7666672
Because radioactive materials release energy in the form of heat as they decay.
>>7666759
What a prick.
>>7666807
#REKT
