Nuclear Fuel
Revision as of 10:20, 8 October 2018 by NRJC (talk | contribs) (Created page with "==Key Stage 3== ===Meaning=== '''Nuclear Fuel''' is a radioactive material which can be used to generate power. ===About Nuclear Fuel=== : '''Nuclear Fuel''' has en...")
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Nuclear Fuel is a radioactive material which can be used to generate power.
About Nuclear Fuel
- Nuclear Fuel has energy in its nuclear potential energy store which can be easily transferred into its thermal energy store.
- The most common nuclear fuels are Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239.
- Nuclear Fuel transfers energy to the thermal energy store during a nuclear reaction.
- Nuclear Fuel is very dangerous because it is radioactive which causes harm to living organisms.:
- When nuclear fuel is used the waste products are still radioactive so they must be buried deep underground where they cannot harm living organisms.
Power
- Nuclear Fuel can be used to provide power by generating electricity that can be sent to houses and industry.
A diagram of a coal power station. |
- 1. Nuclear Fuel undergoes a nuclear reaction in the reactor core.
- 2. Water in the reactor core is heated and passed through a heat exchanger.
- 3. Water in the reactor core becomes contaminated with radioactive material so the heat exchanger heats up uncontaminated water.
- 3. The uncontaminated water turns to steam and passes down pipes to turn a turbine.
- 4. The turbine causes a generator to spin.
- 5. The generator makes an electrical current.