Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fission'

English Word: fission

Key Russian Translations:

• распад [rɐˈspat] - [Formal, Scientific, Used in nuclear physics contexts]
• деление [dʲɪˈlʲenʲje] - [Formal, Biological, Used in cellular or general division contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, academic, and technical discussions but not in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it requires familiarity with scientific terminology; for 'распад', it's B2 due to nuclear contexts, while 'деление' might be B1 in basic biological settings)

Pronunciation (Russian):

распад: [rɐˈspat]

Note on распад: The stress falls on the second syllable ('spa'), and the 'r' is a lightly rolled alveolar sound, common in Russian. Be cautious with the soft 'a' vowel.

деление: [dʲɪˈlʲenʲje]

Note on деление: The initial 'dʲ' is palatalized, which is a key feature of Russian phonetics; pronounce it softly as in 'dew'. The word ends with a soft 'e' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Nuclear fission (Splitting of atomic nuclei)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распад - Used in contexts involving atomic energy, physics, and nuclear reactions, often in formal or technical writing.

Usage Examples:

• Ядерный распад является ключевым процессом в атомных электростанциях.

  Nuclear fission is a key process in atomic power plants.

• Учёные изучают контролируемый распад для производства энергии.

  Scientists study controlled fission for energy production.

• Распад урана-235 приводит к цепной реакции.

  Fission of uranium-235 leads to a chain reaction.

• В результате распада высвобождается огромная энергия.

  As a result of fission, enormous energy is released.

Biological fission (Cell division or splitting)

Translation(s) & Context:

• деление - Used in biology, particularly for cell reproduction or division, in educational or medical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Деление клеток происходит во время митоза.

  Fission of cells occurs during mitosis.

• Бактерии размножаются путём простого деления.

  Bacteria reproduce through simple fission.

• Деление амёбы позволяет ей быстро увеличивать популяцию.

  The fission of an amoeba allows it to rapidly increase its population.

• В процессе деления клетки распределяют генетический материал.

  During cell fission, genetic material is distributed.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'распад' and 'деление' are nouns in Russian. 'Распад' is a masculine noun (3rd declension), while 'деление' is a neuter noun (2nd declension). Russian nouns inflect based on case, number, and gender. Below is a table for each:

Note: These follow standard Russian declension patterns, with no irregularities for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • распад: расщепление (slight difference: emphasizes breaking down into smaller parts)
  • деление: размножение (used in biological contexts for reproduction via splitting)
• Antonyms:
  • распад: слияние (fusion, as in combining rather than splitting)
  • деление: объединение (unification or merging)

Related Phrases:

• Ядерный распад - Nuclear fission; a phrase used in discussions of atomic energy.
• Цепная реакция распада - Chain reaction of fission; common in physics and engineering contexts.
• Бесполое деление - Asexual fission; refers to biological reproduction without mating.
• Контролируемый распад - Controlled fission; used for safe nuclear processes.

Usage Notes:

'Fission' translates to 'распад' in nuclear contexts and 'деление' in biological ones. Choose 'распад' for formal scientific writing, as it precisely matches atomic splitting, while 'деление' is broader and suits everyday biology. Be mindful of Russian's case system; for example, use the genitive case after prepositions like 'в процессе' (in the process of). In informal speech, these terms are rare, so they're best for academic or professional settings. If the context involves energy, 'распад' is preferred over 'деление' to avoid ambiguity.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'распад' with 'расщепление': Learners might overuse 'расщепление' for fission, but it's more about chemical breakdown. Correct: Use 'распад' for nuclear contexts. Error example: "Расщепление урана" (incorrect for fission); Correct: "Распад урана".
• Misapplying inflections: English speakers often forget case changes, e.g., saying "в распад" instead of "в распаде". Error: "Я изучаю распад" (should be "Я изучаю распад" in nominative, but in prepositional: "О распаде"). Explanation: Always adjust for the sentence's grammatical role.
• Overgeneralizing 'деление': It might be used for any division, leading to errors in nuclear topics. Error: "Деление атома" (better as "распад атома"); Correct: Specify contextually.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and history, 'распад' often appears in discussions of nuclear technology, influenced by the Soviet-era atomic programs. For instance, it relates to Russia's role in nuclear energy development, evoking themes of scientific advancement and Cold War tensions. This adds a layer of historical significance, making the term not just technical but also symbolic of Russia's technological prowess.

Related Concepts:

• атомная энергия (atomic energy)
• митоз (mitosis)
• цепная реакция (chain reaction)
• распространение радиации (radiation spread)