Nuclear Power :: essays research papers

Nuclear PowerProducing heartiness from a thermonuclear power bring is truly complicated. The process ofnuclear energy involves the nuclear fission of ingredients, the release of energy from fissionas heat, and the transfer of heat to electricity in power plants.The process of splitting the atom is called nuclear fission. nuclear fission can takeplace in many an(prenominal) different kinds of atoms. This rendering uses uracil - 235,the atom most commonly used in nuclear reactors. The Uranium atom has manyprotons, thus making it unstable. Since the nucleus of the atom is so unstableit wants to split itself apart, do a spontaneous fission. When the nucleiof a Uranium atom splits apart, it splits into two atoms. Commonly the nucleussplits into Barium and krypton however, it can split into any two atoms as longas the number of protons agrees the original come of the protons found in theUranium. In addition, a mass amount of energy is released along with two or cardinal neutr ons. It is these neutrons that can begin a chain reaction, eachneutron that is given polish off could collide with another Uranium atom splitting itapart. Each of these fissioning atoms releases a very large amount of energy,and some much neutrons.This process continues causing a chain reaction withut any outside assistance,and the Uranium has " departed critical"(Martindale, 794-195). This chain reactionis the basis for how nuclear power is made.The amount of the energy that is given off in nuclear fission is astronomical.To equal the amount of energy given off when splitting some atomic number 92 the size ofa golf ball, one would have to burn nigh twenty-five train cars full ofcoal. Presently, the planet contains twenty-five times more nuclear give noticecompared to fossil fuel. On average, an atomic power plant can produce half amillion kilowatts of power. As a comparison, a hair dryer takes about onekilowatt (Jenny, 1-2).The producing of energy from nuclear fission i s very similar to using a verycommon fossil fuel boiler. The difference lies in the reactor, where the heatis generated by fissioning material. The most common of reactors is thepressurized water reactor however, there are many other types.The pressurized water reactor is the most common reactor in the United States.The reactor of a nuclear power plant is where the fissioning takes place. TheUranium is contained in fuel rods, each rod is sealed so no contamination occurs.Many of these rods are then contained in a fuel assembly. All the fuelassemblies are separated by consider rods. The control rods limit the amount of