Fissionable material

{
  "id": "MLC-T-NUC-000183",
  "term": "Fissionable material",
  "field": "Nuclear energy and radiation",
  "definition": "A nuclide that is capable of undergoing fission after capturing either high-energy (fast) neutrons or low-energy thermal (slow) neutrons. Although formerly used as a synonym for fissile material, fissionable materials also include those (such as uranium-238) that can be fissionedonly with high-energy neutrons. As a result, fissile materials (such as uranium-235) are a subset of fissionable materials.\n\nUranium-235 fissions with low-energy thermal neutrons because the binding energy resulting from the absorption of a neutron is greater than the critical energy required for fission; therefore uranium-235 is a fissile material. By contrast, the binding energy released by uranium-238 absorbing a thermal neutron is less than the critical energy, so the neutron must possess additional energy for fission to be possible. Consequently, uranium-238 is a fissionable material.",
  "references": [
    "NRC Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/nuclear/fissionable-material/"
}