CHEM 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Spent Nuclear Fuel, Nuclear Electric, Radiation
Document Summary
Number of nuclear power plants is decreasing now after world war 2. Containment structure ensures that the pressure does not get too high within the machine. Electric generator= two magnets with some wires in between the two; as the electricity passes the magnets it further generates. Control rods- cobalt metal; tends to absorb neutrons (neutrons are the key to nuclear fission) Only two isotopes are fissionable enough to be used in nuclear reactors- u-235 and pu-239. The nuclei of these two isotopes split easily when hit by a neutron and they release more than one neutron when they split. Fission of one nucleus produces neutrons that can cause the fission of other nuclei, thus setting off a chain reaction. Releases a gamma ray every time it is broken apart or experiences fission. The most significant advantages to nuclear power plants are: They do not emit carbon dioxide so they don"t contribute to global warming.
