Chapter 14 Sources of energy

Nuclear Energy
In about 400 power plants all over the world , electricity is produced from the energy
liberated in a special type of nuclear reaction called nuclear fission.

Nuclear Fission is a reaction in which a heavy nucleus (uranium / plutonium / thorium),

when bombarded with low energy neutrons , can be splits into two lighter nuclei. In this
reaction, tremendous amount of energy is released.

Total mass of REACTANTS > Total mass of PRODUCTS

SOME MASS IS LOST DURING A NUCLEAR REACTION .

This lost mass appears in the form of Energy.

The fission of one atom of uranium produces 10 million times the energy
produced by the combustion of an atom of carbon from coal.

ADVANTAGES of using NUCLEAR ENERGY

1. No Air Pollution

2. Tremendous amount of energy released.

INDIA 6 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

1. TARAPUR Nuclear Power Station in Maharashtra

2. Rajasthan Nuclear Power Station at Rana Pratap Sagar near Kota
3. Madras Nuclear Power Station at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.
4. Narora Nuclear Power Station in Uttar Pradesh.
5. Kakrapar in Gujrat
6. Kaiga in Karnataka

LIMITATIONS / PROBLEMS

1. The spent or used fuel is radioactive . Improper Nuclear waste Storage and
disposal results in nuclear radiation leakage.

2. Risk of accidental leakage of nuclear radiation.

(Nuclear radiations can penetrate into our body cells , disrupt cell
membranes , damage genes and chromosomes and can cause diseases like
cancer and leukemia etc.)

3. High Cost of installation of a nuclear power plants

4. Limited availability of Uranium

These limitations make large scale use of nuclear energy prohibitive.