Nuclear Power - AP Environmental Science

Carbon dioxide or helium. Non-reactive gases avoid corrosion issues.

To transfer heat from the primary loop to produce steam. Isolates radioactive primary coolant from turbines.

Becquerel (Bq). Measures nuclear disintegrations per second.

To absorb neutrons and regulate the fission reaction. Inserted or withdrawn to control reaction rate.

To transfer heat from the primary loop to produce steam. Isolates radioactive primary coolant from turbines.

To generate electricity. Heat from fission drives steam turbines.

Thermal pollution from reactor cooling systems. Hot water discharge affects aquatic ecosystems.

A severe overheating of the reactor core. Loss of cooling leads to fuel damage.

Potential risk of nuclear accidents. Catastrophic failures can release radiation over wide areas.

Safe disposal of radioactive materials. Contaminated materials require careful handling.

Uranium dioxide (UO₂). Ceramic pellets stacked in metal tubes.

A reactor where water is kept under pressure to prevent boiling. Most common reactor type worldwide.

Alpha, beta, or gamma radiation. Different types have varying penetration abilities.

Low greenhouse gas emissions during operation. No CO₂ emissions during electricity generation.

A reactor where water boils directly in the reactor core. Simpler design with direct steam generation.

The time taken for half of a radioactive substance to decay. Fundamental measure of radioactive decay rate.

Deep geological storage. Isolates waste from environment for millennia.

30 to 40 years. Design life determined by neutron radiation damage.

To slow down neutrons to sustain the chain reaction. Fast neutrons must be slowed for efficient fission.

Uranium with increased U-235 concentration. Higher U-235 content enables sustained reactions.

As a fissile material for nuclear fuel. Artificial isotope created from U-238 in reactors.

The splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller parts. Releases enormous energy when heavy nuclei break apart.

To convert water into steam using reactor heat. Drives turbines to generate electricity.

Uranium-235. This isotope readily splits when hit by neutrons.

Radioactive materials left over from nuclear reactions. Remains hazardous for thousands of years.

Nuclear fusion. Hydrogen nuclei combine to form helium.

Radioactive isotopes. Fission fragments are highly radioactive.

A neutron slowed to thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. Low-energy neutrons more likely to cause fission.

A self-sustaining sequence of fission reactions. Each fission triggers more fissions in a continuous cycle.