1. Nonrenewable Energy Nuclear Energy

2. Nuclear energy- released by a nuclear fission or fusion reaction. –Nuclear force 1,000,000 times stronger than chemical bonds between atoms –Uranium atoms used as fuel in nuclear power plants

3. Nuclear Fission Splitting of the nucleus into two or more fragments –Chain reaction

4. Nuclear Fission

5. How it Works Heat energy is released Closed loop of water heats another water source Water boils producing steam Steam drives a turbine which in turn produces electricity

6. How it Works Reactor contained in a thick pressure vessel thats filled with cooling fluid Surrounded by concrete Metal fuel rods contain Uranium pellets which are bombarded with neutrons Control rods, made of Boron and Cadmium, lower to slow or stop the chain reaction

7. Nuclear Power Plant

8. Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy Advantages: –Very concentrated energy source –No air pollution –Release less radioactivity than coal –Can rely on when fossil fuels are limited Disadvantages: –Safe reactors- expensive –Expense not competitive –Investors hard to predict –Storage of waste must be stable for 1,000s of years –Fission can be dangerous if not controlled

9. Nuclear Accidents Chernobyl of the Ukraine, 1986 –Unauthorized tests unsafe –Explosions destroyed plant and released large amounts of radioactivity –100s died from radiation exposure –Areas still radioactive Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, 1979 –Human error –Blocked valves –Broken pumps –Small amount of radiation released

10. Future of Nuclear Power Safer nuclear power plants Researching transmutation, recycling of radioactive waste into nuclear fuel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission- 300 safety regulation improvements

11. Nuclear Fusion Combination of smaller nuclei into larger nuclei Large amounts of energy Less dangerous radioactive byproducts Same reactions that comprise stars, including our sun

12. Disadvantages of Nuclear Fusion Technically difficult Three things must occur simultaneously: –Extremely high temperatures (100,000,000 C or 180,000,000 F) –Nuclei must be concentrated –Nuclei must be properly confined

13. Nuclear Fusion

14. Chernobyl Radiation Results

16. Hiroshima

17. Radiation Results