A laboratory investigates the fission of 235U when it absorbs a slow neutron. For one representative fission event the combined rest mass of the products is 3.2×10−28kg less than the combined rest mass of the initial 235U nucleus and the incident neutron.
(1) Determine the energy released in a single fission event, expressing your answer in mega–electron-volts (MeV).
(2) The facility operates a small research reactor that outputs 30kW of thermal power. Assuming every joule of that power comes exclusively from fission events identical to the one described, calculate the number of fissions occurring each second.
(3) Classify this reaction as spontaneous or induced and justify your classification with reference to the initiating conditions described.