7 Questions
What is the main purpose of nuclear power plants?
To produce electricity
What is the purpose of nuclear power plants?
To convert energy into electricity
What is needed to slow down the neutrons produced as a result of nuclear fission?
Water
What is used to slow down the neutrons produced in the reactor core?
Graphite and water
What is one of the dangers associated with nuclear power?
Nuclear accidents
What is one of the dangers associated with nuclear energy production?
Radiation exposure
What is one of the dangers associated with nuclear energy production?
Radiation exposure
Study Notes
- Nuclear energy is created by splitting atoms of uranium in a process called nuclear fission.
- When a neutron collides with the nucleus of uranium, an enormous amount of energy is released and more neutrons are freed up.
- Those neutrons collide with more uranium nuclei, which continues to cause the release of huge amounts of energy in a chain reaction.
- The main purpose of nuclear power plants is to control this chain reaction and convert the energy produced into electricity.
- There are many types of nuclear power plants, but they all have a three part reactor core.
- The first part are fuel rods. They're long, narrow tubes that hold small pellets of uranium or plutonium.
- The second part is the moderator. Since only slow moving neutrons can initiate nuclear fission, but the neutrons produced as a result of the fission are fast moving, the core needs moderators, like graphite and water to slow down the neutrons.
- The third part are the control rods. These allow the operators to control exactly how many neutrons are in the reactor core at any given time.
- If there are too few, the chain reaction will end and energy will no longer be produced.
- If there are too many fission occurs too fast and the amount of energy released increases until it can no longer be controlled.
- This is one of the dangers associated with nuclear power.
- A nuclear accident like Chernobyl or Fukushima is a major concern with nuclear energy production.
- When an accident occurs, it is highly likely that both people and the environment will be exposed to radiation.
- A high level of radiation exposure can cause immediate death.
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