What Really Happened the First Time We Split a Heavy Atom in Half

What scientific discovery was accidentally made in 1938 when scientists split an atom?

• Penicillin

• Plastic

• Vulcanized rubber

• Nuclear fission

What challenge did Lise Meitner face when she started working at the Berlin Institute for Chemistry with Otto Hahn?

• She was not allowed to attend Max Planck's lectures.

• The head of the institute feared women's hair would catch fire in the lab.

• She had to work alone because Otto Hahn refused to partner with her.

• She was unable to publish her research findings.

How did Lise Meitner explain what happened when a neutron hit a uranium nucleus, leading to nuclear fission?

• The uranium atom would absorb the neutron and become a heavier element.

• The uranium nucleus would stretch out, pinch in the middle, and split into two smaller elements.

• The neutron would bounce off the uranium nucleus without causing any change.

• The uranium atom would release all its electrons, becoming an ion.

What was Lise Meitner's view on using her discovery of nuclear fission for the development of the atomic bomb?

• She actively participated in the Manhattan Project.

• She believed it should only be used for peaceful energy production.

• She refused to contribute to its destructive applications.

• She was unaware of its potential for military use.