Define the nuclear power, Physics

Assignment Help:

Define the Nuclear Power

As an energy source, nuclear power is an alternative to fossil fuels.  Controlled nuclear chain reactions are used to generate electricity in a safe manner in nuclear power plants. The fuel used in nuclear power plants consists of uranium: U-238 and U-235. U-235 undergoes fission and releases a tremendous amount of energy, triggering other atoms to split, if the uranium is concentrated in a tight ball.  Control rods are made of good neutron absorbers such as boron. The control rods are lowered into the fuel to slow down the fission reaction. They absorb some of the neutrons produced by the fission reactions so that there are fewer neutrons available to start othesr reactions. This keeps the overall reaction under control.

A gas or water is used as a coolant. The coolant carries heat from the reactor to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger contains water which is heated to form steam. The steam moves a turbine which in turn drives a generator. The generator produces electricity.

One major downside to using nuclear fuel to power electric generating power plants is the spent fuel that must be dealt with, since the waste products of the fission reactions are still radioactive.  Much of the radioactive waste material has a half-life of thousands of years.  Safe storage of these materials is of major concern, because of the possibility of leaks, and they pose a long-term environmental pollution problem.

To calculate the energy produced during a nuclear fission or fusion reaction, we must first calculate the mass lost during the reaction. We then use Einstein’s famous equation of E = mc2 to calculate the energy produced during the reaction.


Related Discussions:- Define the nuclear power

Heat, What is the Specific Heat of Copper? Ans) 387 J/Kg. C or  0.0924 Cal/...

What is the Specific Heat of Copper? Ans) 387 J/Kg. C or  0.0924 Cal/g.C

Calculate the flowrate that is needed to produce a thrust, The thrust devel...

The thrust developed to propel the jet ski shown in Fig is a result of water pumped through the vehicle and exiting as a high-speed water jet. For the conditions shown in the Fig,

Light, does lights of different wavelengths help us to see different colour...

does lights of different wavelengths help us to see different colour

State gauss law, State Gauss's law. The total flux of the electric fie...

State Gauss's law. The total flux of the electric field E over whichever closed surface is equal to 1/ε o times the net charge enclosed by the surface. That is φ = q / ε

Define band emission spectrum, (i) It having of district bright bands. (...

(i) It having of district bright bands. (ii)It is given by an excited source in molecular state. (iii) E.g. Spectra of molecular NH 3 , CO, H 2 etc.

What is block hole?, A blackhole is a region of spacetime from which gravit...

A blackhole is a region of spacetime from which gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mas

State and explain flemings left hand rule, What is the net force on a condu...

What is the net force on a conductor of length l carrying current 'i' when it is situated in a magnetic field of induction B? When is it maximum? State and explain Fleming's l

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd