LESSON 4 Nuclear Power

Guiding Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of

nuclear energy?

Relate nuclear fission to the production of energy. Reading Strategy As you read about the process of
Describe how a nuclear power plant generates generating electricity with nuclear power, construct a
electricity. flowchart to show what happens in a nuclear power plant.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of Use the flowchart to help answer Question 2 at the end of the
nuclear power. lesson.
Contrast nuclear fusion with nuclear fission, and
Vocabulary nuclear energy, nuclear fission, nuclear reactor,
explain the issues related to nuclear fusion.
meltdown, nuclear waste, nuclear fusion

In the debate over energy, nuclear power occupies an odd position.

It doesnt pollute the air, so some people think it is an environmentally
friendly alternative to fossil fuels. Yet nuclear powers great promise has
17.4 LESSON PLAN PREVIEW
been clouded. People worry about radioactive waste disposal and nuclear
Inquiry Students make a
model of nuclear fission. power plant accidents. Concerns for public safety have limited the devel-
Differentiated Instruction opment of this energy source.
Struggling students use Of all nations, the United States generates the most electricity from
Figure 21 to help them learn nuclear power. However, only 20 percent of United States electricity
how a power plant generates comes from nuclear power. A number of other nations rely more heavily
electricity.
on nuclear power. France leads the list, receiving 78 percent of its energy
Real World Students present
their opinions about a pro- from nuclear power.
posed nuclear power plant in a
mock town-hall format.

17.4 Resources
Lesson 17.4 Worksheets Lesson 17.4
Assessment Chapter 17 Overview
Presentation

GUIDING QUESTION
FOCUS Have students make a
two-column table that lists advan-
tages and disadvantages of nuclear
energy. Then, have students form
small groups to discuss their tables.
Encourage students to add informa-
tion gained from the group discus-
sion to their tables.

FIGURE 19 Light Up the Night The

Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated with
nuclear power.

536 Lesson 4
Nuclear Energy
The process of nuclear fission releases energy.

Matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. The center of an atom is

called the nucleus. The nucleus is composed of tiny particles called pro-
tons and neutrons. Nuclear energy is the energy that holds these particles
together in the nucleus. We use this energy by converting it to thermal
energy, which can then be used to generate electricity.
The reaction that drives the release of nuclear energy in power plants
is nuclear fission. Nuclear fission is the splitting of an atoms nucleus into
two smaller nuclei.

Bombardment by Neutrons To produce nuclear fission, the nuclei

of large, unstable atoms, such as uranium or plutonium, are bombarded
with neutrons. When a neutron smashes into the large atoms nucleus, the
large nucleus breaks apart into smaller nuclei. The breakup of the large
nucleus releases energy in the form of heat and radiation. In addition, as
it breaks up, the large nucleus emits neutrons. Figure 20 shows a nuclear
fission reaction. An atom of one form of uranium called uranium-235
(U-235) is broken apart. The smaller nuclei produced by this reaction are
nuclei of krypton and barium.

Nuclear Chain Reaction The neutrons emitted from the broken-

apart nucleus can then go on to split other atomic nuclei. In Figure 20,
for example, the three neutrons can go on to split other U-235 nuclei
that are nearby. Each time a nucleus is split, the process releases more
energy and more neutrons. If there are enough uranium atoms nearby,
the repeated release of neutrons can cause a chain reaction.With each step
in the chain, the amount of energy increases. If a chain reaction is not
controlled, a huge explosion happens. The explosion of a nuclear bomb is
the result of an uncontrolled fission chain reaction.
FIGURE 20 Nuclear Fission In the
process of nuclear fission, the nucleus
of a large atom splits into the nuclei of
smaller atoms. The reaction releases a
Krypton-92
great deal of energy.
nucleus
Uranium-235
nucleus Neutron
Neutron

Energy
Neutron

Neutron
A neutron bullet Barium-141
strikes a U-235 nucleus. nucleus Each neutron can start a
new reaction by striking
another U-235 nucleus.
The nucleus splits into two smaller
nuclei, releasing more neutrons and
a great deal of energy.

Nonrenewable Energy 537

 Generating Electricity
In a nuclear power plant, nuclear fission is used to generate
electricity.

A nuclear power plant contains a nuclear reactor, which generates

electricity by controlled fission reactions. Uranium-235 is used as fuel.
Because the supply of U-235 is limited, nuclear power is a nonrenewable
energy resource. Figure 21 shows how a nuclear reactor works.
1 Nuclear
2 3 Fission
4 5Takes 7 8The9reactor contains fuel rods, which
6 Place
are made of U-235. Neutrons released by U-235 begin fission reactions.
The fission reactions generate heat, which is transferred to the water that
surrounds the rods. The water is kept under pressure, so it cannot boil.
If the reactions produce too much heat, control rods are inserted
between the fuel rods. The control rods absorb neutrons and therefore
slow down the chain reaction.
1 2 Steam 5 6 7The 8super-heated
3 4Is Produced 9 water passes through a pipe
(primary loop) into the steam generator. In the steam generator, heat
from the pipe boils the surrounding liquid water, changing it to steam.
The steam flows through the secondary-loop pipe to the turbine.
1 2 3 Electricity
4 5 6 7 8 9 The steam makes the turbine rotate. The
Is Generated
rotating turbine makes the generator move, producing electricity.
1 2 3 4 Water 7 8 From
5 6Is Cooled 9 the turbine, steam flows into the condenser,
where it is cooled by water from the cooling tower. The cooling changes
the steam to liquid water. This water is piped back into the reactor.
FIGURE 21 Nuclear Power Plant
A nuclear power plant uses fission
reactions to produce the energy
necessary for generating electricity.

2 The heat changes 3 The steam turns a turbine

Secondary water into steam. that generates electricity.
Control
loop
rod Primary Steam
loop
Water
Turbine
Nuclear fuel
(uranium)
Reactor
vessel Generator
Cooling
Cooling
tower
tower

1 In the reactor vessel, Cooling

uranium undergoes nuclear Condenser loop
Steam
fission, producing heat. generator 4 Water from the cooling tower cools steam
in the condenser, changing the steam to liquid
Containment building water. The water returns to the reactor.

538 Lesson 4
Benefits and Costs of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power does not create air pollution, but its problems
include risk of accidents and disposal of wastes.

When nuclear power was first developed and used in the 1950s, many
people thought it would be a safe, nonpolluting source of energy. But
today, people are concerned about the possibility of accidents in nuclear
power plants. In addition, there is no really good way of disposing of
leftover nuclear material.

Benefits of Nuclear Power Nuclear power plants generate electric-

ity without producing air pollution. In contrast, the combustion of fossil ANSWERS
fuels releases pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur Reading Checkpoint Nuclear power
dioxide, and particulate matter. Scientists from the International Atomic does not result in air pollution; ura-
Energy Agency (IAEA) estimate that nuclear power reduces carbon emis- nium produces more energy than the
same amount of coal; and nuclear
sions worldwide each year by 600 million metric tons. That amount is
power plants are normally safer than
equal to 8 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. coal-fired plants.
Small amounts of uranium can produce far more energy than the
same amount of coal. Therefore, to produce the same amount of energy, FIGURE 22 Chernobyl The explosion
less uranium than coal needs to be mined. Under normal conditions, at the Chernobyl nuclear power
plant in 1986 destroyed much of the
nuclear power plants are safer for workers than coal-fired plants are.
facility and contaminated the air with
Reading Identify three benefits of nuclear power. radioactive material.
Checkpoint

Costs of Nuclear Power Nuclear power also has its

costs. For example, nuclear power plants are very expensive
to build and maintain. In addition, people fear the possibil-
ity of nuclear accidents. Another problem is the disposal of
the waste materials left over after nuclear energy has been
produced.
Accidents at Power Plants In 1986, there was an accident
at the Chernobyl plant in the Ukraine, which was then a part
of the Soviet Union. Human mistakes, combined with unsafe
reactor design, led to the disaster.
First, workers turned off safety systems to run tests. Then
the fuel rods produced so much heat that they melted, a
condition known as a meltdown. Part of the power plant
exploded, and clouds of dust rose into the air. The dust
included material that was radioactive, meaning that it gave
off radiation that could harm humans and other living things.
The accident killed 31 people directly. Thousands of other
people developed cancer and other illnesses caused by radia-
tion. Winds carried radioactive material far from Chernobyl.
Luckily, there has not been another nuclear accident as bad
as Chernobyl. Moreover, the design of most reactors in the
United States is far safer than that of Chernobyls. However,
there have been several smaller accidents since Chernobyl,
and the possibility of future accidents concerns many people.

Nonrenewable Energy 539

 Temporary Storage of Nuclear Waste Nuclear power plants produce
nuclear waste, which is radioactive material left over from the produc-
What Do tion of energy and other processes. This material will continue to release
you think? radiation for thousands of years. Currently, nuclear waste from power
generation is being held at nuclear power plants all over the world. Used
You are on a committee to find a fuel rods are sunk in deep pools of cooling water to prevent radiation
location for a new school. One site from leaking out. This storage, however, is only a temporary solution.
is located next to a nuclear power Long-Term Disposal The United States government is trying to solve
plant. The other is located next to
the problem of nuclear waste. When wastes are stored at many loca-
a coal-fired power plant. Which
tions throughout the nation, each of those places is a potential nuclear
location would you choose? What
hazard. Therefore, it would be better to keep all the waste in one safe
would concern you most about
site. After extensive study by scientists and policy makers, in the 1980s
each choice?
Congress chose a possible location for disposing the nuclear waste
Yucca Mountain, a remote place in the Nevada desert. Yucca Mountain
ANSWERS was chosen for many reasonsits location is far from where people live,
and it can be protected from sabotage. Also, there is little rainfall or risk
What Do You Think? Answers will
of earthquakes. Because the water table is very deep, water is unlikely to
vary but should show knowledge of
the relative safety of coal-fired and become contaminated with radioactivity.
nuclear power plants. However, some scientists and people who live in Nevada protested
that Yucca Mountain isnt a good place to store hazardous waste. They
argued that the site isnt as geologically stable as has been claimed. They
BIG QUESTION were concerned that earthquakes and volcanoes could open underground
Can we depend on nonrenewable cracks, and that waste could leak from the cracks. In 2010, the federal
energy resources for our energy government ended its support for the Yucca Mountain project. Without
needs? Yucca Mountain, the United States has no central place for disposing
Application Ask students to state of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. Therefore, for now, the
whether or not the information
nuclear waste will remain stored at numerous locations across the nation.
they have learned about nuclear
energy has changed their opinion
of whether or not we can depend
on nonrenewable energy resources
for our energy needs. Have students WA ME
write several sentences summarizing ND VT
MT NH
why their opinion has changed, or MN MA
OR WI NY
why it has not changed. ID SD
MI RI
WY CT
IA PA
NE NJ
NV OH DE
UT MO IL IN WV
CO KS KY VA MD
CA NC
AZ TN
OK AR SC
NM GA
MS AL

TX LA
HI
AK FL

FIGURE 23 Nuclear Waste Sites Metric tons of spent fuel

The dots on the map show where More than 1000 1100
radioactive wastes are stored in the 1011000 0
United States. (Note that some of the
sites store radioactive wastes that are Data from Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, U.S. Department of Energy; and Nuclear Energy
not spent nuclear fuel.) Institute, Washington, D.C.

540 Lesson 4
 Tremendous heat and pressure
force two kinds of hydrogen Hydrogen-2
nuclei together. nucleus

The reaction creates a huge

amount of energy.

Hydrogen-3
nucleus Neutron
plus
Helium energy
nucleus

FIGURE 24 Nuclear Fusion In

Nuclear Fusion: The Future? nuclear fusion, two hydrogen nuclei are
forced together. This reaction, which
Nuclear fusion has advantages over fission, but the technology releases energy and a neutron, forms a
does not yet exist to use fusion to generate power. nucleus of helium.

Nuclear fusion reactions generate the energy released by the sun. In

nuclear fission, an atomic nucleus is split apart. The opposite happens
in nuclear fusionsmall nuclei of lightweight elements are forced
together to form a heavier nucleus. Figure 24 shows a fusion reaction in
which two hydrogen atoms with different numbers of neutrons are fused
together to form helium. This fusion reaction releases a neutron and huge
amounts of energy.
Nuclear fusion could produce much more energy per amount of fuel
than nuclear fission can. However, fusion reactions require a temperature
of many millions of degrees Celsius. This extremely high temperature
and other requirements have made it impossible to use fusion to gener-
ate electric power. Despite much research, fusion reactions in the lab still
require more energy than they produce.
Fusions possible payoffs, however, make scientists keep trying.
Theoretically, in a controlled fusion reactor, water could serve as a fuel ANSWERS
to produce vast amounts of energy. The process would create only small Lesson 4 Assessment For answers
amounts of radioactive waste. It would not pollute the air. However, to the Lesson 4 Assessment, see page
power from nuclear fusion is probably a long way off. A28 at the back of the book.

4
1. Apply Concepts What is a nuclear chain reaction? 4. Compare and Contrast Compare and contrast
2. Sequence List the steps involved in using nuclear nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. How are they
fission to generate electricity. Begin with the role of similar? How are they different?
the fuel rods. 5. Explore the BIGQUESTION Which do you think
3. Infer Why is the disposal of nuclear waste a has more advantages: electricity generated by
greater problem than the disposal of the trash that nuclear power or electricity generated by coal?
you and your family need to get rid of? Support your opinion with specific details.

Nonrenewable Energy 541