Saturday, January 30, 2010

General : Nuclear

1. General nuclear

2. What is nuclear energy

Fission

 is the splitting of a large atom such as Uranium or Plutonium into two smaller atoms, called fission products, several neutrons, and very much energy. This nuclear reaction was the first to be discovered. All commercial nuclear power plants use this reaction to generate electricity.

Fusion

 is the combining of two small atoms such as Hydrogen or Helium to produce heavier atoms and energy. These reactions can release more energy than fission without producing radioactive byproducts. Fusion reactions occur in the sun, using Hydrogen as fuel and producing Helium as waste. This reaction has not been commercially developed and is a serious research interest worldwide, due to its promise of limitless, pollution-free, and non-proliferation features

 Click here to see animations of fission and fusion reactions.

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