Chapter 16 – Nuclear Energy

Pages 250 – 263Ms. Marcino

Environmental Science

Parts of an_________

3 parts:◦1. Protons:

◦2. Neutrons:

◦3. Electrons:

Nucleus:

Atoms usually have the same ______________________________ = ___________.

Atoms and Isotopes

Properties of atom determined ________________________.Atomic number:

◦Ex: oxygen = ___; uranium =___ Atomic mass:

◦Ex: oxygen = ___ (_________; __________)Isotopes:

Radioactivity

Some __________ are __________.Unstable atoms may

Radioactive atoms:

Radiation:

Radioactive particles:◦1. alpha particles:

◦2. beta particles:Losing _____________changes an atoms

__________, causing it to become a ________________(radioactive decay).

Half-life:

Fission: Splitting Atoms

Only about ______ of the world’s ____________ comes from _________ power.

Nuclear power plants are powered by nuclear energy:

An Atom!!

Forces holding the nucleus together are STRONG!

Atoms of uranium (an element) __________________________________________.Nuclear Fission:

◦Nucleus __________________(neutral atomic particles).

◦This causes

◦Causes a ______________________________________________________.

Nuclear Fission

Example: atomic bomb is uncontrolled fission reaction.

How Nuclear Energy Works

Nuclear reactor surrounded by thick ________________________________.◦Pressure vessel will _____________________ in

event of accident.◦_____________________ also surround reactor.

Inside reactor:◦____________ containing _____________ hit

repeatedly with ____________.◦Chain reaction

◦Reactor core contains control rods:

Released heat used to generate ________ (heat steam in power plants, etc).

Breeder reactor:

◦_____________ used as fuel in breeder reactor.◦Produces heat energy too.

Nuclear Power Plant

Example: Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.◦Generates enough energy for 2 million

Californian households.◦Equivalent to burning 20 million barrels of oil

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

Nuclear fuel = ________________________.Power plants do not produce greenhouse

gases = ___________________.Release less ______________ than coal-fired

power plants.

France generates ¾ of its electricity from nuclear power and produces less than 1/5 the amount of pollution per person than the U.S.

Uranium __________________________. As it decays it gives off radon:

◦Can

◦Dangerous

◦Estimated that

Why Aren’t We Using More Nuclear Energy?

Building and maintaining a safe reactor is very expensive

Storing Waste◦______________________________________for years.◦The used fuel, liquids and equipment from the

reactor core are hazardous wastes.◦Storage sites must be in an area that will

remain geologically stable for a long time.

Ex: Plutonium-239 waste will be dangerous for __________________.

Safety Concerns◦Potential for fission process to get out of

control.◦Ex: 1986-

Engineers

Test

Areas

Nuclear

50

Meltdown:

Exposure to radiation can cause: nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of some white blood cells, cancer.

25 rems =

100 rems =

>100 rems =

300 rems =

50% of people exposed to 450 rems die.800 or more rems always fatal (no

effective treatment).

In time, survivors can develop cancer.

Ex: X-ray =

Radioactive Waste

Waste is radioactive.◦Approx. __________ of waste produced in one

year from _______________.Types of waste:

◦High-level wastes:

Uranium fuel rods, control rods, water used to cool and control chain reactions, vessel that surrounds the fuel rods.

◦Medium-level and low-level wastes:

Mine wastes scattered around uranium mine, contaminated protective clothing from workers, also produced by hospitals and laboraties.

The Future of Nuclear Power

Nuclear Fusion:

◦This is the process that powers all the stars, including our sun.

◦Safer than fission because it creates less dangerous radioactive biproducts.

Difficult to achieve.◦

180,000,000 ⁰F◦Nuclei