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23 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Boiling water
reactor (BWR) |
A type of fission
reactor in which water surrounds the nuclear fuel core within the reactor. Control rods sit between the fuel rods and absorb stray neutrons. When the control rods are retracted, the fission process begins to occur, and a tremendous amount of heat is produced. This heat converts the surrounding water to steam. The force of the expanding steam spins a turbine to produce electricitv. |
|
Breeder reacting
|
Creating nuclear
fuel from a substance that is not fissionable. |
|
Control rod
|
Parl of
a fission reactor that sits betr,r.een the fuel rods and absorb strav neutrons. Wren the control rods are retracted, the fission process begins to occur. |
|
Electron
|
A negatively
charged atomic particle. |
|
Half-life
|
The time
it takes for half the atoms present in an unstable element to transform into a new element. |
|
lsotope
|
One of
two or more atoms with the same number of protons but with different numbers of neutrons. |
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
Targets set in 1997
by countries wishing to increase capacity while reducing carbon dioxide (CO.) emissions. |
|
Neutron
|
uncharged particles
|
|
nuclear fission
|
The process of
splitting a larger atom to produce two smaller atoms and a tremendous amount of energy. |
|
Nuclear fusion
|
The
combining of two nuclei into a larger nucleus. The large nucleus weighs less than the two smaller nuclei that formed it. The result of this process yields a large energy release. |
|
Nuclear Waste
Fund |
A
multibillion-dollar fund used for the development of a permanent nuclear waste disposal site |
|
Nuclear Waste
Policy Act |
An act
passed by Congress lrl.1982 promising that the federal government is to take nuclear waste from the utilities for permanent storage |
|
Nucleus
|
The center
portion of an atom containing the protons and neutrons. |
|
Plasma
|
Ionized
gas with an equal number of positive and negative charges. |
|
Plutonium 239
(P-239): |
A fissionable
fuel created from uranium 238 (U238)by a breeder reactor. |
|
Apressurized zuater reactor (PWR
|
works similar to a BWR, except it
makes use of a heat exchanger known as a steam generator. The PWR is slightly more complicated than the BWR. |
|
primary loop
|
The
part of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) in which the water is heated. It surrounds the reactor core. |
|
Proliferation
|
The
use of by-products of nuclear power for the production of nuclear weaPons |
|
Proton
|
A positively charged atomic particle
|
|
Secondary loop
|
The part of a pressurized
water reactor (PWR)in which steam is created. |
|
Shipping cask
|
a container designed to ship spent fuel from one facility to another
|
|
Three MiIe Islnnd
(TMI) accident |
accident:
A nuclear disaster occurring in7979 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Unit 2 reactor reached excessir.ely high temperatures through a series of faulty readings and operator errors. Eventually, a small piece of the reactor core melted, rendering the reactor unusable before the situation was brought under control. |
|
Uranium 238
(U238): |
Atype of
uranium that is a nonfissionable element. About99'h of all uranium mined is this type. |