Nuclear Power and Fission

WHAT IS NUCLEAR FISSION?

• Fission is another word for splitting.
• The process of splitting a nucleus is called
nuclear fission. Uranium or plutonium
isotopes are normally used as the fuel in
nuclear reactors, because their atoms
have relatively large nuclei that are easy
to split, especially when hit by neutrons.
HOW THE REACTORS WORK
The reactors work by a chain reaction. This
happens when one atom is released and
smacks into another clump of atoms. This
then makes the clump of atoms release
one atom into the atmosphere. This will
then smack into another clump of atoms.
This is what is called a chain reaction.
 Nuclear power stations in the UK
• The uk has 19 nuclear power stations.
• These are in Hartlepool, Hinkly,
Dungeness, Hunterston,Torness, and
various other places all over the uk.
 Benefits of nuclear power
• Efficient
• Reliable
• Clean
Disadvantages of nuclear power
• Radioactive waste
• Can be dangerous
• Very expensive to run.