Nuclear Energy

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Nuclear Energy
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Nuclear Energy
This is uranium. A small amount of fuel produces
a vast amount of energy. It also produces lots of
radioactive waste!
In a reactor, nuclear reactions release energy
from the nuclei of uranium atoms. This heats
water to make steam for driving generators
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Nuclear Fission
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The Splitting up of Atoms Is Called Nuclear
Fission
Nuclear power stations and nuclear submarines are
both powered by nuclear reactors In a nuclear
reactor,a controlled chain reaction takes place
in which uranium atoms split up and release
energy in the form of heat. This turns water to
steam to drive a turbine generate electricity
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The Chain Reaction
neutron
neutron
Uranium atom
1 neutron
neutron
Each time a Uranium atom splits up it spits out 2
or 3 neutrons, one of which hits another uranium
nucleus, causing it to split. This keeps the
chain reaction going
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The Chain Reaction
Uranium atom
When the Uranium atom splits into two it will
form two lighter elements that are also
radioactive. This becomes radioactive waste and
is a big problem for nuclear power stations as it
can remain dangerous for hundreds of years
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Nuclear Processes Release More Energy Than
Chemical Processes
When a nucleus splits it gives out a lot more
energy than a chemical bond. This is why nuclear
bombs release a lot more energy than other bombs
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Did you know?
The average human body contains 7 x 1018
joules of potential energy enough to explode
with the force of thirty large hydrogen bombs!
Everything has this kind of energy in it we are
just not very good at getting it out. (The
Uranium Bomb is the most energetic thing we have
produced yet it released only 1 of the total
energy within it)
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Nuclear Fission
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Power Stations
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What is a power station?
Power Stations are places where electrical energy
is made. Electrical Energy is a convenient form
of energy to use in our homes.
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Fossil Fuel Power Stations can generate a lot of
pollution
In the form of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide
and smoke
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The sulphur dioxide can lead to the production of
acid rain
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The National Grid
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What is the National Grid?
When electricity is generated in the power
station it is transported to us by the National
Grid
It is a network of pylons and cables that covers
the whole country
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The National Grid
Power Station 25,000V
Step-down Transformer
Homes
Step-up Transformer
400,000V
230V
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