Nuclear fuel

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Nuclear Fuel

Nuclear fuel (/ˈnjuːkliər fjuːəl/) is a substance that is used in nuclear power stations to produce heat to power turbines. Heat is created when nuclear fuel undergoes nuclear fission.

Etymology

The term "nuclear" is derived from the Latin nucleus, meaning "core". The word "fuel" comes from the Old French feuaile, meaning "bundle of firewood". Together, "nuclear fuel" refers to substances that provide energy by undergoing changes in their atomic nuclei.

Related Terms

  • Nuclear Fission: A nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits spontaneously or on impact with another particle, with the release of energy.
  • Nuclear Power Station: A thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor.
  • Turbine: A machine for producing continuous power in which a wheel or rotor, typically fitted with vanes, is made to revolve by a fast-moving flow of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid.
  • Atomic Nucleus: The small, dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom.

Types of Nuclear Fuel

Nuclear fuel can be classified into two broad categories:

  • Fissile Material: These are materials that are capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction. Examples include uranium-235 and plutonium-239.
  • Fertile Material: These are materials that, while not capable of undergoing fission themselves, can be converted into fissile materials by irradiation in a reactor. Examples include uranium-238 and thorium-232.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle is the series of industrial processes which involve the production of electricity from uranium in nuclear power reactors. The cycle starts with the mining of uranium and ends with the disposal of nuclear waste.

See Also

External links

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