nuclear fission & fusion
Post on 16-Feb-2016
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NUCLEAR FISSION & FUSION
NUCLEAR FISSION Splitting of a nucleus
into smaller fragments
Happens when they are bombarded with neutrons
Releases ENORMOUS amts of energy!
Only U-235 & Pu-239 do this!
NUCLEAR FISSION ENERGY 1 kg of U-235 can
release the same energy as 20,000 tons of dynamite exploding
Atomic Bombs start an uncontrolled nuclear chain rxn!
NUCLEAR REACTORS Make useful energy by
controlling fission
Major form of energy is heat Water or coolant must be
used to cool the reactor
Heat generates steam, which drives a turbine…that creates electricity
NUCLEAR WASTE Fuel rods with
radioactive isotopes that no longer give enough energy
Placed in “swimming pools” that keep them cool & acts as a radiation shield
NUCLEAR FUSION Happens when
nuclei combine to produce a nucleus with a greater mass
Smaller nuclei fusion creates more energy than fission reactions
Solar energy is the result of nuclear fusion
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