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Disintegration of Uranium by Neutrons: a New Type of Nuclear Reaction

Nature volume 143, pages 239–240 (1939)Cite this article

ON bombarding uranium with neutrons, Fermi and collaborators1 found that at least four radioactive substances were produced, to two of which atomic numbers larger than 92 were ascribed. Further investigations2 demonstrated the existence of at least nine radioactive periods, six of which were assigned to elements beyond uranium, and nuclear isomerism had to be assumed in order to account for their chemical behaviour together with their genetic relations.

In making chemical assignments, it was always assumed that these radioactive bodies had atomic numbers near that of the element bombarded, since only particles with one or two charges were known to be emitted from nuclei. A body, for example, with similar properties to those of osmium was assumed to be eka-osmium (Z = 94) rather than osmium (Z = 76) or ruthenium (Z - 44).

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Institute, Academy of Sciences, Stockholm. https://www.nature.com/nature

    Lise Meitner

  2. Institute of Theoretical Physics, University, Copenhagen. Jan. 16. https://www.nature.com/nature

    O. R. Frisch

Authors
  1. Lise Meitner
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  2. O. R. Frisch
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Meitner, L., Frisch, O.R. Disintegration of Uranium by Neutrons: a New Type of Nuclear Reaction. Nature 143, 239–240 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/143239a0

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