Energy & Waste Flashcards
All 5 cards in this deck
In a nuclear reactor, what energy transfer happens immediately after fission?
Kinetic energy of the fission fragments is transferred to thermal energy of the coolant.
What are the steps in generating electricity from the chain reaction in a nuclear power station?
e.g. a reactor fuelled with uranium-235
- Fission heats the coolant, which carries thermal energy out of the reactor.
- The hot coolant boils water in a boiler to make steam.
- The steam turns a turbine, which turns a generator to produce electricity.
What can be said about the daughter nuclei (products) of nuclear fission?
They are radioactive.
How is high-level radioactive waste from a nuclear power station dealt with?
It is sealed in containers and stored securely, often buried deep underground.
True or false? Radioactive waste from a nuclear power station is safe after a few years.
False. Some waste stays dangerously radioactive for thousands of years, so it must be stored for a very long time.