Energy from nuclei - Revision history

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2021-09-27T00:03:00Z

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energy>Ethan.boechler at 17:25, 18 June 2021

2021-06-18T17:25:34Z

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	[[Category:Done 2018-05-18]]		[[Category:Done 2018-05-18]]
			[[Category:Translated to French]]
			[[fr:Énergie des noyaux]]
	[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2018-05-18T22:53:06Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:53, 18 May 2018
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Jmdonev at 19:38, 11 May 2018

2018-05-11T19:38:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:38, 11 May 2018
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	[[Category:Done ~~2016~~-12-31]]		[[Category:Done 2018-05-18]]
	[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]

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	This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. The [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]], which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force, which makes nuclei stay together up to a particular size (a sphere with a radius of about 8x10<sup>-15</sup> m). The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable. Unstable nuclei release energy, usually a lot more energy than a [[chemical reaction]].		This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. The [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]], which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force, which makes nuclei stay together up to a particular size (a sphere with a radius of about 8x10<sup>-15</sup> m). The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable. Unstable nuclei release energy, usually a lot more energy than a [[chemical reaction]].

	Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission\|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to directly obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is ~~so much~~ energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) ~~that~~ a measurable amount of mass is lost~~; this is called the~~ [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab in which energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.		Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission\|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to directly obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is more energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) causing a measurable amount of mass to be lost known as [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <math>E = mc^2</math>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab in which energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.

	The energy released from nuclei is considerably more [[energy density\|dense]] than the energy that comes from ~~interacting~~ atoms (~~which are~~ [[chemical reaction]]s)~~, about a million times more dense~~. This is what leads to the incredibly large and destructive power of [[nuclear weapon]]s ~~that is just not possible with~~ conventional weapons. This energy density also means that there is remarkably little fuel needed to [[generate electricity]]. With a million times the energy density, one ~~million times less~~ fuel is needed, ~~and~~ one ~~million times less~~ waste ~~is generated~~. ~~That~~ waste~~, however, still has~~ residual nuclear energy in the from of radioactive decay of [[fission daughter product]]s.		The energy released from nuclei is considerably more [[energy density\|dense]] (about a million times more) than the energy that comes from the interaction of atoms ([[chemical reaction]]s). This is what leads to the incredibly large and destructive power of [[nuclear weapon]]s compared to conventional weapons. This energy density also means that there is remarkably little fuel needed to [[generate electricity]]. With a million times the energy density, only one millionth of the fuel is needed, producing one millionth of the waste that chemical reactions release. However, that waste contains residual nuclear energy in the from of radioactive decay of [[fission daughter product]]s which is quite dangerous if not properly disposed.

	==Electricity Generation==		==Electricity Generation==
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	Nuclear energy can be used directly to [[electricity generation\|generate electricity]], and is what we call [[nuclear power]]. Nuclear bonds require quite a bit more energy to break them apart then molecules do; this means that a great deal of engineering must go into creating nuclear power. The energy coming from the nuclei can be used to heat a [[liquid]] or [[gas]] to run [[turbine]]s in a [[nuclear power plant]], producing electricity. Currently, nuclear power supplies 6% of the world's [[primary energy]] and 14% of its [[world electricity generation\|electrical energy]] (almost half of the electricity that doesn't emit [[greenhouse gas]]es).<ref name="RE1"/>		Nuclear energy can be used directly to [[electricity generation\|generate electricity]], and is what we call [[nuclear power]]. Nuclear bonds require quite a bit more energy to break them apart then molecules do; this means that a great deal of engineering must go into creating nuclear power. The energy coming from the nuclei can be used to heat a [[liquid]] or [[gas]] to run [[turbine]]s in a [[nuclear power plant]], producing electricity. Currently, nuclear power supplies 6% of the world's [[primary energy]] and 14% of its [[world electricity generation\|electrical energy]] (almost half of the electricity that doesn't emit [[greenhouse gas]]es).<ref name="RE1"/>

	In power plants, nuclear power is harnessed from [[isotope]]s of large elements such as [[uranium]], [[thorium]], and [[plutonium]] as fuel in nuclear [[fission reactor]]s. The uranium and thorium isotopes occur naturally and are mined from rock. ~~Putting~~ uranium in a nuclear reactor can make plutonium, which can be ~~also~~ burned in nuclear reactors. One interesting use of nuclear reactors is to get rid of old nuclear warheads. ~~This~~ project ~~was called~~ [[megatons to megawatts]] ~~in the United States~~.		In power plants, nuclear power is harnessed from [[isotope]]s of large elements such as [[uranium]], [[thorium]], and [[plutonium]] as fuel in nuclear [[fission reactor]]s. The uranium and thorium isotopes occur naturally and are mined from rock. Using uranium in a nuclear reactor can make plutonium, which can also be burned in nuclear reactors. One interesting use of nuclear reactors is to get rid of old nuclear warheads. The United States did this with old Soviet nuclear warheads and called this project [[megatons to megawatts]].

	Commercial nuclear fusion for generating electricity does not yet exist, but fusion has been successfully achieved by humans in laboratories. The big difficulty is getting more energy out of the reaction than went into making it in the first place.		Commercial nuclear fusion for generating electricity does not yet exist, but fusion has been successfully achieved by humans in laboratories. The big difficulty is getting more energy out of the reaction than went into making it in the first place.

	==Controversy==		==Controversy==
	The public perception of the safety, reliability, and cleanliness of nuclear energy (as opposed to the actual safety, reliability, and cleanliness) have often led to difficulties for the nuclear industry. Public fear about how [[nuclear waste]] will be dealt with has lead to a reluctance to adopt or expand nuclear power. Other fears have come from concerns about specific nuclear disasters and how nuclear energy is used outside of electricity generation, like for [[nuclear weapon]]s. There's a strong sense of [[NIMBY]] (not in my back yard) for new nuclear power plants. Advocates for nuclear power point to nuclear power as being carbon-free (and generally, emissions-free) alternative to [[fossil fuel]]s that could provide significant amounts of energy worldwide. Critics are generally concerned about health risks associated with nuclear plants, pointing to nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima as examples of how nuclear plants are unsafe~~. Please see [[public acceptance of nuclear power]] for a more full discussion. Please see [[public attitudes towards energy sources]] for historical trends in public opinions on this subject~~.		The public perception of the safety, reliability, and cleanliness of nuclear energy (as opposed to the actual safety, reliability, and cleanliness) have often led to difficulties for the nuclear industry. Public fear about how [[nuclear waste]] will be dealt with has lead to a reluctance to adopt or expand nuclear power. Other fears have come from concerns about specific nuclear disasters and how nuclear energy is used outside of electricity generation, like for [[nuclear weapon]]s. There's a strong sense of [[NIMBY]] (not in my back yard) for new nuclear power plants. Advocates for nuclear power point to nuclear power as being a carbon-free (and generally, emissions-free) alternative to [[fossil fuel]]s that could provide significant amounts of energy worldwide. Critics are generally concerned about health risks associated with nuclear plants, pointing to nuclear disasters such as [[Chernobyl]] and [[Fukushima]] as examples of how nuclear plants are unsafe.

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
	[[Category:Uploaded]]		[[Category:Uploaded]]

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2017-01-08T23:36:35Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 23:36, 8 January 2017
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Jmdonev at 23:32, 8 January 2017

2017-01-08T23:32:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:32, 8 January 2017
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	[[Category:Done ~~2015~~-09-05]]		[[Category:Done 2016-12-31]]
	[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]

	<onlyinclude>~~Most~~ [[primary energy]] ~~ultimately begins with '''energy from nuclei''', often~~ from [[~~nuclear fusion~~]] ~~in the~~ [[~~sun~~]]~~. This '''nuclear~~ energy~~''' is~~ [[~~potential energy~~]] ~~that is stored inside the~~ [[~~nucleus~~]] ~~of an~~ [[~~atom~~]]~~. This energy holds~~ [[~~proton~~]]~~s and~~ [[~~neutron~~]]s ~~in a specific arrangement inside the atomic nucleus~~.</onlyinclude><ref name="RE1">R. Wolfson. ''Energy, Environment and Climate'', 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A.: Norton, 2012.</ref> The protons and neutrons inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]] which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The fact that the strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force is the reason that nuclei are able to stay together up to a specific size. The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable.		<onlyinclude>Almost all forms of [[primary energy]] come from nuclear reactions. [[Fossil fuel]]s and [[biofuel]]s got their energy from [[sunlight]]. [[Geothermal energy]] comes from [[radioactive decay]] or [[thermal energy]] left over from when the Earth originally formed (which came from a cataclysmic nuclear explosion, a supernova). Of course, [[nuclear reactor]]s ultimately get their '''energy from nuclei'''.</onlyinclude><ref name="RE1">R. Wolfson. ''Energy, Environment and Climate'', 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A.: Norton, 2012.</ref>

	~~Nuclear~~ energy is ~~released through three processes:~~ [[~~nuclear fission~~]], [[~~nuclear fusion~~]]~~, and~~ [[~~radioactive decay~~]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[~~spontaneous fission\|spontaneously~~]]~~, but when~~ [[~~energy~~]] ~~is obtained~~ by ~~humans from fission~~ the ~~process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by~~ [[~~thermal neutron~~]]~~s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to obtain energy from nuclei~~, ~~but it is~~ the ~~process that occurs in~~ the [[~~Sun~~]]. ~~There is so much energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to~~ [[~~chemical reaction~~]]~~s) that a measurable amount~~ of ~~mass~~ is ~~lost~~, ~~this is called the [[mass~~-~~energy equivalence]]~~. ~~When any of these three processes occur,~~ the ~~resulting atoms have less mass than~~ the ~~starting atoms. This mass~~ is ~~converted into~~ a ~~large amount of~~ [[~~heat~~]] ~~energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy.~~ (~~July 7, 2015~~)~~. ''What is Nuclear Energy?''~~ [~~Online~~]. ~~Available: http://nuclear-~~energy~~.net/what-is-nuclear-~~energy~~</ref> There are processes that occur in~~ a ~~lab where energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously~~.		This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. The [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]], which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force, which makes nuclei stay together up to a particular size (a sphere with a radius of about 8x10<sup>-15</sup> m). The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable. Unstable nuclei release energy, usually a lot more energy than a [[chemical reaction]].

	The energy from nuclei is considerably more [[energy density\|dense]] than the energy that comes from interacting atoms (which are [[chemical reaction]]s), about a million times more dense. This is what leads to the incredibly large and destructive power of [[nuclear weapon]]s that is just not possible with conventional weapons. This energy density also means that there is remarkably little fuel needed to [[generate electricity]]. With a million times the energy density, one million times less fuel is needed, and one million times less waste is generated. That waste however still has residual nuclear energy in the from of radioactive decay of [[fission daughter product]]s.		Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission\|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to directly obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is so much energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) that a measurable amount of mass is lost; this is called the [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab in which energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.

			The energy released from nuclei is considerably more [[energy density\|dense]] than the energy that comes from interacting atoms (which are [[chemical reaction]]s), about a million times more dense. This is what leads to the incredibly large and destructive power of [[nuclear weapon]]s that is just not possible with conventional weapons. This energy density also means that there is remarkably little fuel needed to [[generate electricity]]. With a million times the energy density, one million times less fuel is needed, and one million times less waste is generated. That waste, however, still has residual nuclear energy in the from of radioactive decay of [[fission daughter product]]s.

	==Electricity Generation==		==Electricity Generation==
	:: [[nuclear power\|''main article'']]		:: [[nuclear power\|''main article'']]
	When nuclear energy is used to [[electricity generation\|generate electricity]], and this electricity generated through the use of nuclear fission is known as [[nuclear power]]. Nuclear bonds that require more energy to break them apart then the energy required to keep them together are the most stable. When less stable nuclei become more stable by releasing particles ([[nuclear decay]]), breaking apart ([[nuclear fission]]), or joining together ([[nuclear fusion]]), energy is released.<ref name="RE1"/> This energy can be used to heat a [[liquid]] or [[gas]] to run [[turbine]]s in a nuclear power plant. By using nuclear energy to heat a liquid or a gas, the energy from nuclear bonds can be harnessed and used to produce electricity. Currently, nuclear energy supplies 6% of the world's [[primary energy]] and 14% of its [[world electricity generation\|electrical energy]] (almost half of the electricity that doesn't emit [[greenhouse gas]]es).<ref name="RE1"/>

	In power plants, nuclear power is harnessed from [[isotope]]s of large elements such as [[uranium]], [[thorium]], and [[plutonium]] as fuel in nuclear [[fission reactor]]s. The uranium and thorium isotopes occur naturally and are mined from rock, ~~while plutonium must~~ be ~~created artificially~~ in ~~other~~ reactors. ~~Nuclear~~ fusion ~~in power plants~~ does not yet exist, but fusion has been successfully achieved by humans in laboratories. The big difficulty is getting more energy out of the reaction than went into making it in the first place.		Nuclear energy can be used directly to [[electricity generation\|generate electricity]], and is what we call [[nuclear power]]. Nuclear bonds require quite a bit more energy to break them apart then molecules do; this means that a great deal of engineering must go into creating nuclear power. The energy coming from the nuclei can be used to heat a [[liquid]] or [[gas]] to run [[turbine]]s in a [[nuclear power plant]], producing electricity. Currently, nuclear power supplies 6% of the world's [[primary energy]] and 14% of its [[world electricity generation\|electrical energy]] (almost half of the electricity that doesn't emit [[greenhouse gas]]es).<ref name="RE1"/>

			In power plants, nuclear power is harnessed from [[isotope]]s of large elements such as [[uranium]], [[thorium]], and [[plutonium]] as fuel in nuclear [[fission reactor]]s. The uranium and thorium isotopes occur naturally and are mined from rock. Putting uranium in a nuclear reactor can make plutonium, which can be also burned in nuclear reactors. One interesting use of nuclear reactors is to get rid of old nuclear warheads. This project was called [[megatons to megawatts]] in the United States.

			Commercial nuclear fusion for generating electricity does not yet exist, but fusion has been successfully achieved by humans in laboratories. The big difficulty is getting more energy out of the reaction than went into making it in the first place.

	==Controversy==		==Controversy==
	The safety, reliability, and cleanliness of nuclear energy ~~are all topics that are fairly controversial~~. ~~It includes broad topics such as~~ how [[nuclear waste]] is dealt with, to ~~investigations of~~ specific nuclear disasters and how nuclear energy is used outside of electricity generation, like for [[nuclear weapon]]s. There's a strong sense of [[NIMBY]] (not in my back yard) for new nuclear power plants. Advocates for nuclear power point to nuclear power as being carbon-free (and generally, emissions free) alternative to fossil ~~fuels~~ that could provide significant amounts of energy worldwide. Critics are generally concerned about health risks of nuclear plants, pointing to nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima as examples of how nuclear plants are unsafe. Please see [[public acceptance of nuclear power]] for a more full discussion. Please see [[public attitudes towards energy sources]] for historical trends in public opinions on this subject.		The public perception of the safety, reliability, and cleanliness of nuclear energy (as opposed to the actual safety, reliability, and cleanliness) have often led to difficulties for the nuclear industry. Public fear about how [[nuclear waste]] will be dealt with has lead to a reluctance to adopt or expand nuclear power. Other fears have come from concerns about specific nuclear disasters and how nuclear energy is used outside of electricity generation, like for [[nuclear weapon]]s. There's a strong sense of [[NIMBY]] (not in my back yard) for new nuclear power plants. Advocates for nuclear power point to nuclear power as being carbon-free (and generally, emissions-free) alternative to [[fossil fuel]]s that could provide significant amounts of energy worldwide. Critics are generally concerned about health risks associated with nuclear plants, pointing to nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima as examples of how nuclear plants are unsafe. Please see [[public acceptance of nuclear power]] for a more full discussion. Please see [[public attitudes towards energy sources]] for historical trends in public opinions on this subject.

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
	[[Category:Uploaded]]		[[Category:Uploaded]]

J.williams: 1 revision imported

2015-09-03T18:22:36Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 18:22, 3 September 2015
(No difference)

Jmdonev at 23:06, 28 August 2015

2015-08-28T23:06:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:06, 28 August 2015
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	[[Category:Done 2015-07-24]]		[[Category:Done 2015-09-05]]
	[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]

	<onlyinclude>Most [[primary energy]] ultimately begins with '''energy from nuclei''', often from [[fusion in the sun]]. This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] that is stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. This energy holds [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s in a specific arrangement inside the atomic nucleus.</onlyinclude><ref name="RE1">R. Wolfson. ''Energy, Environment and Climate'', 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A.: Norton, 2012.</ref> The protons and neutrons inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]] which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The fact that the strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force is the reason that nuclei are able to stay together up to a specific size. The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable.		<onlyinclude>Most [[primary energy]] ultimately begins with '''energy from nuclei''', often from [[nuclear fusion]] in the [[sun]]. This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] that is stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. This energy holds [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s in a specific arrangement inside the atomic nucleus.</onlyinclude><ref name="RE1">R. Wolfson. ''Energy, Environment and Climate'', 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A.: Norton, 2012.</ref> The protons and neutrons inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]] which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The fact that the strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force is the reason that nuclei are able to stay together up to a specific size. The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable.

	Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission\|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is so much energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) that a measurable amount of mass is lost, this is called the [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab where energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.		Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission\|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is so much energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) that a measurable amount of mass is lost, this is called the [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab where energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.

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2015-08-26T21:31:04Z

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J.williams at 16:53, 12 August 2015

2015-08-12T16:53:16Z

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[[Category:Done 2015-07-24]]
[[File:640px-Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg|360px|thumb|right|Figure 1. The [[cooling tower]]s are the most iconic components of a nuclear power plant. Note that not all nuclear power plants use these cooling towers, and the clouds coming off of these cooling towers are actually just steam - not pollutants. Other types of [[power plant]]s also have cooling towers as well.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (July 7, 2015). ''Nuclear Power Plant'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg#/media/File:Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg</ref>]]

<onlyinclude>Most [[primary energy]] ultimately begins with '''energy from nuclei''', often from [[fusion in the sun]]. This '''nuclear energy''' is [[potential energy]] that is stored inside the [[nucleus]] of an [[atom]]. This energy holds [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s in a specific arrangement inside the atomic nucleus.</onlyinclude><ref name="RE1">R. Wolfson. ''Energy, Environment and Climate'', 2nd ed. New York, U.S.A.: Norton, 2012.</ref> The protons and neutrons inside of the nucleus are held together by the [[strong nuclear force]] which balances the repulsion of the [[Coulomb force]] between the protons. The [[weak force]] balances the number of neutrons and protons. The fact that the strong nuclear force is both stronger and shorter ranged than the Coulomb force is the reason that nuclei are able to stay together up to a specific size. The balance between the strong nuclear force and the Coulomb force is much of what determines whether a [[nuclide]] (particular combination of protons and neutrons) will be [[radioactive]] or stable.

Nuclear energy is released through three processes: [[nuclear fission]], [[nuclear fusion]], and [[radioactive decay]].<ref name="RE2">C.Ferguson. ''Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know'', 1st ed. Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.</ref> Fission occurs when heavy nuclei become unstable and split into smaller parts (usually two main parts and some extra neutrons), fusion happens when light atoms are forced together, and radioactive decay occurs when unstable atoms emit energy and become more stable in the process.<ref name="RE2"/> Fission can occur [[spontaneous fission|spontaneously]], but when [[energy]] is obtained by humans from fission the process generally occurs after a large isotope has been bombarded by [[thermal neutron]]s. Fusion is not yet a viable method for humans to obtain energy from nuclei, but it is the process that occurs in the [[Sun]]. There is so much energy involved in nuclear processes (compared to [[chemical reaction]]s) that a measurable amount of mass is lost, this is called the [[mass-energy equivalence]]. When any of these three processes occur, the resulting atoms have less mass than the starting atoms. This mass is converted into a large amount of [[heat]] energy, explained by Albert Einstein with his famous equation <m>E = mc^2</m>.<ref name="RE3">Nuclear Energy. (July 7, 2015). ''What is Nuclear Energy?'' [Online]. Available: http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy</ref> There are processes that occur in a lab where energy is turned into mass, but that doesn't happen spontaneously.

The energy from nuclei is considerably more [[energy density|dense]] than the energy that comes from interacting atoms (which are [[chemical reaction]]s), about a million times more dense. This is what leads to the incredibly large and destructive power of [[nuclear weapon]]s that is just not possible with conventional weapons. This energy density also means that there is remarkably little fuel needed to [[generate electricity]]. With a million times the energy density, one million times less fuel is needed, and one million times less waste is generated. That waste however still has residual nuclear energy in the from of radioactive decay of [[fission daughter product]]s.

==Electricity Generation==
:: [[nuclear power|''main article'']]
When nuclear energy is used to [[electricity generation|generate electricity]], and this electricity generated through the use of nuclear fission is known as [[nuclear power]]. Nuclear bonds that require more energy to break them apart then the energy required to keep them together are the most stable. When less stable nuclei become more stable by releasing particles ([[nuclear decay]]), breaking apart ([[nuclear fission]]), or joining together ([[nuclear fusion]]), energy is released.<ref name="RE1"/> This energy can be used to heat a [[liquid]] or [[gas]] to run [[turbine]]s in a nuclear power plant. By using nuclear energy to heat a liquid or a gas, the energy from nuclear bonds can be harnessed and used to produce electricity. Currently, nuclear energy supplies 6% of the world's [[primary energy]] and 14% of its [[world electricity generation|electrical energy]] (almost half of the electricity that doesn't emit [[greenhouse gas]]es).<ref name="RE1"/>

In power plants, nuclear power is harnessed from [[isotope]]s of large elements such as [[uranium]], [[thorium]], and [[plutonium]] as fuel in nuclear [[fission reactor]]s. The uranium and thorium isotopes occur naturally and are mined from rock, while plutonium must be created artificially in other reactors. Nuclear fusion in power plants does not yet exist, but fusion has been successfully achieved by humans in laboratories. The big difficulty is getting more energy out of the reaction than went into making it in the first place.

==Controversy==
The safety, reliability, and cleanliness of nuclear energy are all topics that are fairly controversial. It includes broad topics such as how [[nuclear waste]] is dealt with, to investigations of specific nuclear disasters and how nuclear energy is used outside of electricity generation, like for [[nuclear weapon]]s. There's a strong sense of [[NIMBY]] (not in my back yard) for new nuclear power plants. Advocates for nuclear power point to nuclear power as being carbon-free (and generally, emissions free) alternative to fossil fuels that could provide significant amounts of energy worldwide. Critics are generally concerned about health risks of nuclear plants, pointing to nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima as examples of how nuclear plants are unsafe. Please see [[public acceptance of nuclear power]] for a more full discussion. Please see [[public attitudes towards energy sources]] for historical trends in public opinions on this subject.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Uploaded]]