Popularization of her theory

By Charlotte Mettetal, published le 10/20/2025 at 10:34 a.m

What was Lise Meitner working on ?

In 1918, Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn identify several isotopes and discover the protactinium, a chemistry element. In 1934, Meitner, Hahn and Fritz Strassman succed in transforming uranium into two lighter nuclei. Lise Meitner is the first to understand the fission process.

nuclear fission diagram

After fleeing Germany in 1938, Meitner continues her researchs on the fission in Sweden. She uses Bohr's liquid drop model (the oldest model of the atomic nucleus) to represents the atomic nucleus.

Bohr's model diagram

Lise Meitner and her nephew discover the chain reaction

With the help of her nephew, Otto Frisch, she proposes that the absorption of a neutron can destabilize the nucleus, causing electrical repulsive forces, in other words, static electricity. This static electicity overcomes nuclear cohesion, causing the nucleus to split into two fragments. This fragmentation ejects neutrons and releases a lot of energy, which can create a chain reaction.

"Lise Meitner is the first to understand the fission process"

It was this discovery about nuclear fission that led to the creation of the atomic bomb, as it is based on the concept of a chain reaction.

nuclear fission diagram