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Nuclear energy is energy in the nucleus (core) of an atom. Atoms are tiny particles that make up every object in the universe. There is enormous energy in the bonds that hold atoms together. Nuclear energy can be used to make electricity. But first the energy must be released. It can be released from atoms in two ways: nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. This is how the sun produces energy. In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart to form smaller atoms, releasing energy. Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to produce electricity.
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The man from the beginning of its existence, using energy sunlight, quickly he learned to harness water or wind to produce mechanical energy. The real development of technology has brought the discovery of electricity and chemistry. The benefits of using these energies contributed to the enormous cultural changes. Modern man needs energy and water as it would be difficult to imagine life without lighting, heating, electrical, telephone, television, etc. Therefore, there must still worry about gaining energy and look for new and more efficient sources. The problem Until now the main source of energy are fossil raw materials such as coal, oil and natural gas. Unfortunately, their deposits are not renewable and have already predicted not long after they are gone. Still looking for new ways of energy production. Spread the wind, ocean currents, geothermal, and solar and energy from biomass or municipal waste. The twentieth century. Brought great hope to get a phenomenally efficient source of energy, so-called. nuclear energy, derived from fission of heavy nuclei.Research conducted in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century have shown that elements having atomic number greater than 81, emit radiation. In addition, it is not the same for all elements, but it is a characteristic property of each of them. These elements are called radioactive or radioactive. Their nuclei have a large number of protons and neutrons, characterized by the tendency to decompose into two (rarely 3 or4) lighter nuclei of other elements (they have different atomic mass or mass than the basic nucleus). Decay accompanied by the emission of alpha, beta or gamma electromagnetic - new kernel rid of unnecessary thus the particles: protons, neutrons and electrons. Hence the name "radioactivity". Depending on the course of these reactions and their final effects, there are three types of nuclear reactions:• decay and in the wake of spontaneous decay arises atom having an atomic number minus4 and minus the mass number 2. Radiation comes from the turn α, which is called a particle of helium:
where:X - an element which disintegratesY - an element which is produced by decayHe - the nucleus of a helium atom, a particleA - mass number of the elementZ - the atomic number of the element• β decay: as a result of spontaneous decay of element atom is formed with the same atomic number, but with a larger mass number of 1. The radiation comes from the β particles - which can be an electron and electron antineutrino (β decay minus) or a positron and a neutrino. The general reaction scheme presented below breakdown:
where: e - electron or other particle according to the explanations in the description.• electron capture: This is a type of decay β, which is characterized in that: the nucleus of the atom with its electron penetrates the liner and communicates with one of the protons. In this way, a neutron, and the nucleus is ejected electron neutrino.• splitting of atomic nuclei - occurs when the nucleus is in an excited state. At that time, the nucleus of the atom splits into two usually smaller and lighter nuclei, and this reaction is accompanied by the emission of neutrons and γ rays and enormous amounts of energy.Promotes decay of atomic nuclei protons or neutrons advantage, giving rise to their instability. Therefore, the radioactive isotopes used mainly heavy metals. Recall that the isotopes of an element, the elements being its variety - with the same atomic number, mass number but various loads. This means that the isotopes differ from another in the number of neutrons in the nucleus. From the properties of the isotope depends also whether it has a natural radioactivity or not, and how long and how intensively following its disintegration. It is also important that the dissolution of the excited nuclei are formed often capable of further decomposition of γ radiation emission, as is the case with fission.
Due to power the most interesting is fission, as it is this reaction is accompanied by the emission of energy that man tried to tame and began to use for their own purposes, developing the so-called. nuclear energy. However, natural radioactivity, decay of nuclei is governed by natural laws - is automatic and takes, depending on many factors, from a fraction of a second to several million years. Therefore, man has found a way to call a decay and control the whole process. To this end, the resulting nuclear power plants that carry out the so-called. artificial radioactivity.The essence of this type of radiation is that it is caused by the bombardment of the kernel, eg. Neutrons, protons, photons, mesons, deuterami, gamma-ray quantum, or other so-called kernel. heavy ion. Artificial radioactivity explorers marriage: Irena (daughter of Maria Sklodowska-Curie) and Frederic Joliot- Curie.
Fission under the influence of bombarding particle collision with a radioactive element, depends on the energy which provides the particle. Developed the so-called special physical size. cross section for radioactive elements - indicating the probability of decay of a nucleus depending on the property and the energy of incident particles. The easiest way cleavage nuclei undergo the following isotopes: 235U, 233U and 239Pu. They disintegrate under the influence of neutrons of any low-energy (even close to zero). While the other isotopes of radioactive elements are already more demanding. Fission their nuclei occurs only after the delivery of the particles bombarding them with energy higher than a certain threshold energy. The energy level threshold is dependent on the properties of the isotope. An example of such atoms are: 232Th, 236U, 238U. This energy must be sufficient to enter the nucleus of an atom in an excited state, or if you've been excited to move to a higher level of energy and bring it to a state of instability, which is mostly a consequence of the disintegration of the nucleus (or emission of particles). The initial fission of the atom can cause one neutron. However, at the time of disintegration nucleus and sometimes even during this reaction are ejected so. secondary neutrons. If they exceed the number of neutrons, which initiated the whole process, it is very likely to rise to the so-called. chain reaction. Issued particles cause further splitting splitting nuclei that have arisen as a result of the first reaction. The whole reaction occurs spontaneously and is a cascade, since the break-up comes with every particle capable of initiating further fissions. Until when new stable nuclei energy, or energy of the particles will be too weak to be cleaved. This is typical for a nuclear reaction occurs in a spontaneous way, but in nuclear reactors in power reactors is subject to strict control (as opposed to atomic bomb which chain reaction occurs very chaotic). Nuclear reactions provoked by humans occur relatively quickly - at the time of the 10-15s 10-23s. When we compare the weight of the reactants before the reaction and the weight of the products of this reaction are known notice. loss of weight. It turns out that it has been turned into a huge energy. It is close to 200MeV, with a substantial proportion - 180Mev takes the form of kinetic energy generated during fission particles. Energy generated during nuclear reaction will replace the water in the steam which drives the turbine power generators. Number created in this way several times higher than the energy efficiency energy obtained eg. From fossil fuels. For comparison, one gram of uranium 235U may receive as much energy as 2.5 tons of raw material such as eg. Carbon.
Although nuclear power generation there is no immediate threat to the environment, however, there are several important reasons why greatly reduced the number of operating nuclear power plants and rarely builds new. The main reasons are: radioactive waste and the problem of their safe disposal, and the catastrophic consequences of a failure in power. What the world has discovered in1986 at the time of the Chernobyl reactor accident. Contamination, which then arose was very extensive, and its effects so far are seen in the problems of human and animal health, and general environmental contamination.Therefore, if we want to obtain energy through nuclear reactions, we can not spare resources and efforts to maintain the highest safety during these processes. As in the thermal power plants, heat processing of fossil fuels to electricity, the main processes take place in special boilers, nuclear power plants such reactions take place equivalents boilers - reactors. The reactor is the "heart" of the plant and is mainly for his pregnant adequate collateral security of the entire plant. In the reactor chain reactions whose course is continuously controlled and often slowed down for safety reasons.As fuel for reactors used mainly known. fuel rods are metallic tube filled with granular oxide of uranium. A few hundred fuel rods into the reactor goes for a period of up to five years, until all possibility of radioactive uranium.Another important element used in nuclear power plants is called. Coolant - used mainly water. These are the substances necessary for burning the intensive cooling of the reactor - the receiving of the energy generated. Transports the energy to the coolant tank with additional water circuit (the power dwuobiegowych) -which has no contact with the reactor, and after delivery of energy produces steam. This, in turn, is directed to the turbine power generators. Depending on the type of reactor coolant are various and methods of their use. The fluid in addition to water may also be called. heavy water (in contrast to the normal water molecule has two deuterium atoms, or a heavy isotope of hydrogen), air, hydrogen, helium, or liquid metals - sodium, potassium and bismuth.
The energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, especially when used to generate electricity.
The nuclear energy are the energy produced during the splitting of nucleus (protons and neutrons) of very large atoms where a certain amount of the large atom's mass is converted to pure energy, as we know atom have nucleus and electron surrounding nucleus .
The common definition for nuclear energy is the energy released by a nuclear reaction, especially by fission or fusion. Practically speaking, nuclear energy uses fuel made from mined and processed uranium to make steam and generate electricity.
Nuclear generation is the only source of electricity that can produce large amounts of power – known as baseload power—reliably without emitting greenhouse gases.
Nuclear energy has one of the lowest environmental impacts on land and natural resources of any electricity source.
nuclear binding energy is required to bind nucleons together
Everything around you is made up of tiny objects called atoms. Most of the mass of each atom is concentrated in the center (which is called the nucleus), and the rest of the mass is in the cloud of electrons surrounding the nucleus. Protons and neutrons are subatomic particles that comprise the nucleus.
Under certain circumstances, the nucleus of a very large atom can split in two. In this process, a certain amount of the large atom’s mass is converted to pure energy following Einstein’s famous formula E = MC2, where M is the small amount of mass and C is the speed of light (a very large number). In the1930s and ’40s, humans discovered this energy and recognized its potential as a weapon. Technology developed in the Manhattan Project successfully used this energy in a chain reaction to create nuclear bombs. Soon after World War II ended, the newfound energy source found a home in the propulsion of the nuclear navy, providing submarines with engines that could run for over a year without refueling. This technology was quickly transferred to the public sector, where commercial power plants were developed and deployed to produce electricity
Nuclear energy are energy from the sun
