Particles Flashcards
what is nuclear fission
the breaking apart of a large unstable nucleus into two or more smaller and more stable nuclei, in the process two or three neutrons are released with lots of energy…could cause a chain reaction if more unstable nucleus of the same element are by the new and released neutrons
what does a nuclear fission reactor work on a similar principal as
coal or gas fired power stations
what sort of energy is used to produce high pressure steam to turn a turbine in a nuclear reactor
thermal
what is the nuclear reactor generator made of
a powerful electromagnet and a coil
what is the name for the process where movement between the coil and magnetic field cause magnetic flux to be cut, which induces a current in the coil
electromagnetic induction
where does the source of energy come from in a nuclear reactor
the splitting of the nucleus of the Uranium 235 atom
the uranium is initially stable and contained in the
control rods
when uranium 235 absorbs a THERMAL neutron (which is slower than a fast neutron) what happens
it turns into a very unstable isotope of Uranium - Uranium 236
what happens to the Uranium 236 nucleus when it undergoes fission
it splits into 2 smaller and more stable daughter nuclei with 2 or 3 fast neutrons while much energy is released, this energy is shared amongst the products in the form of kinetic energy
what do boron control rods do in a nuclear reactor
they absorb at least 2 neutrons out of 3 per reaction
what does the graphite moderator do in a nuclear reactor
it slows down the fast neutrons so they are more likely to be captured by the control rods
what does the gas flow from the reactor to the heat exchanger do in a nuclear reactor
CO2 –> recycled as it is also radioactive so cannot be released into the air, ask used to turn the turbines to produce electricity
