Nuclear Energy Nuclear Energy
Dec 20, 2015
E = mcE = mc22
Mass can be converted to energyEnergy can be converted to massMass and energy are the same thing
The total amount of mass plus energy in the universe is constant
Mass Defect of Alpha ParticleMass Defect of Alpha Particle
Mass difference = 0.0304 u
Binding energy = 28.3 MeVFusion product has less mass than the sum of the parts.
Mass Defect in FissionMass Defect in Fission
When a heavy element (one beyond Fe) fissions, the resulting products have a combined mass which is less than that of the original nucleus.
How Stuff Works SiteHow Stuff Works Site
Visit the How Stuff Works Site to learn more details about nuclear energy
Breeder ReactorBreeder Reactor
Small amounts of Pu-239 combined with U-238
Fission of Pu frees neutronsThese neutrons bombard U-
238 and produce more Pu-239 in addition to energy
PlutoniumPlutonium
Plutonium is fissileHalf-life of Plutonium is 24,000
yearsPlutonium can be chemically
separated from uranium – easier than separating U-235 from U-238
Plutonium is chemically poisonous (just like lead and arsenic)
PlutoniumPlutoniumPlutonium attacks the nervous system and
can cause paralysis (or death in sufficient doses)
Plutonium combines rapidly with oxygen to form compounds which are chemically biologically harmless
Plutonium is always radioactively toxic – worse than uranium but not as bad as radium
Plutonium emits high energy alphas which kill cells
Greatest danger – nuclear fission bombs
Einstein PredictionEinstein Prediction
"I do not know with what weapons World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and
stones."A. Einstein
World Energy Consumption and World Energy Consumption and Fossil Fuel Supply vs TimeFossil Fuel Supply vs Time
Fission Power AdvantagesFission Power Advantages
Supplies plentiful electricityConserves coal, oil, and natural
gasReduces pollution from burning
fossil fuel – sulfur oxides and carbon oxides
Fission Power DisadvantagesFission Power Disadvantages
Storage of radioactive wastesProduction of plutoniumDanger of nuclear weapon
proliferationLow-level release of radioactive
materials into air and groundwaterRisk of accidental release of large
amounts of radioactivity
Controlling Nuclear FusionControlling Nuclear Fusion
Fusion occurs at very high temperatures (on the order of 108 degrees) & densities
Problem?– All materials melt and vaporize at the
temperature required for fusionSolution – magnetic bottle or laser
confinementStill not cost or energy efficientDifficult to sustain the reaction
Fusion BenefitsFusion BenefitsNo danger of runaway reactionsNo air pollution – only helium is
producedBy-products of fusion are not radioactiveFuel is hydrogen (deuterium and tritium)
– 30 kilograms of seawater contain 1 gram of deuterium
– Fusion of 1 gram of deuterium releases as much energy as 10,000 liters (~2500 galllons) of gasoline or 80 toms of TNT
Nuclear LinksNuclear Links
http://www.ccnr.org/nuclear_primer.html
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/story/story-html/chapter07.html
http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power1.htm
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/nuclear-faq.html
http://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/nuclearreactions/nuclearreactions.html
Chain Reaction – Critical MassChain Reaction – Critical Mass
http://www.npp.hu/mukodes/anim/sta1-e.htm http://www.npp.hu/mukodes/anim/div2a-e.htm
Critical MassCritical Mass
critical mass a self sustaining reaction starts
for pure metal U235 (without moderator) the critical mass is somewhat less than 50 kg
Because of the very high density (19.2 g/cm3) this amount of uranium makes a sphere whose diameter is about 17 cm.
ModeratorModeratorshould have as low atomic mass
number as possibleits neutron absorbing ability
should be as low as possiblewater (H2O), heavy-water (D2O),
graphite (C) and beryllium (Be)
Cherenkov RadiationCherenkov Radiation
Bluish glow when charged particles travel faster than the speed of light in the medium