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They can be, depending on the reactor design.
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∙ 12y ago
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What kind of toxic waste are produced by nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy produces wastes in the form of spent nuclear fuels, which are a mixture of radioactive isotopes and heavy metals - both of which are toxic - and irradiated materials surrounding the reactor which become radioactive from exposure to the radiation produced by the reactor and which must be disposed of at the end of the life of the reactor. Note that breeder reactors - which are not permitted in the USA - convert some of the otherwise unusable radioactive isotopes into fissionable isotopes, thus allowing more of the fuel to be used and reducing amount of fuel rod waste (with the rods being re-processed to recover more usable fuel rather than just disposed of).
What is the radioactive metal used in nuclear reactor?
Uranium is the most common.
Can plutonium be produced in a commercial nuclear reactor?
Yes, plutonium is produced as by-product in all types of nuclear reactors. The nuclear reaction is: 23892U + n-------23992U-------23993Np + e--------23994Pu + e
Why does uranium become radioactive in a nuclear reactor?
Uranium is already radioactive, it does notbecome radioactive in a reactor. Uranium naturally undergoes alpha decay, emitting alpha particles and transforming to Thorium, another radioactive element. The radioactive decay of these daughter isotopes continues via either alpha or beta decay until a stable isotope of lead is produced.Perhaps what you meant to ask is "Why does Uranium fission in a nuclear reactor?".This is because there are low energy neutrons (aka thermal neutrons) in the reactor that can avoid capture by the plentiful Uranium-238 isotope and fission the rare Uranium-235 isotope. Initially when the reactor is being started these thermal neutrons are provided by a device called a neutron source. When the reactor becomes critical (by the operators gradually removing control rods) it sustains a stable fission neutron chain reaction supplying its own neutrons to keep fissioning at a constant rate. The operators then remove the neutron source, as it is no longer needed. The only problem in keeping this chain reaction going is that Uranium-235 fission emits high energy neutrons (aka fast neutrons) which are readily captured by the plentiful Uranium-238 isotope. This problem is solved by a moderator, a substance that rapidly removes energy from the neutrons (slowing them from fast to thermal speeds) before a significant number can be lost in Uranium-238 neutron capture. Typical moderators are: graphite, water, heavy water, hydrocarbons, etc.Perhaps what you meant to ask is "Why do Uranium fuel rods become more radioactive in a nuclear reactor?".The fuel rods become more radioactive in the reactor than they were originally because of the highly radioactive fission product isotopes produced by the Uranium-235 fission (as well as radioactive isotopes produced by neutron capture by stable elements in the structural parts of the fuel rods). These isotopes are more dangerous than the original Uranium was, because they undergo beta and gamma decay, emitting beta particles and gamma rays both of which are more penetrating than than alpha particles are. Also the longer the fuel rods remain in the reactor the more of these fission products build up in the fuel rods. The good thing is these fission products have much shorter halflifes than the original Uranium: they decay rapidly to stable non-radioactive elements.The original Uranium takes billions of years to decay completely to stable lead. The fission products take from hours to centuries to decay completely to stable isotopes. The slowest to decay is gone in about 250 years. Thus, after the decay period the fuel rods are actually less radioactive than they were originally before being put in the reactor. The reactor "burned up" the Uranium, leaving fission product "ashes" which take a few centuries to "cool" completely.You might ask now "What becomes of the Uranium-238 that captured neutrons during the neutron chain reaction in a nuclear reactor?".It becomes Plutonium, some of which the reactor "burns" just like the Uranium-235 and some builds up in the fuel rods (like the fission products do). This Plutonium could be reprocessed(along with unused Uranium) to make new fuel rods, but if not, with a halfllife of about 25,000 years it will take about 125,000 years in storage to completely decay back to Uranium via alpha decay, which as I said already takes billions of years to decay to stable lead isotopes.
Why helium is used as coolant in nuclear gas reactor?
due to its high thermal conductivity and also its inert nature prevent the absorption of the radioactive ions
What kind of toxic waste are produced by nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy produces wastes in the form of spent nuclear fuels, which are a mixture of radioactive isotopes and heavy metals - both of which are toxic - and irradiated materials surrounding the reactor which become radioactive from exposure to the radiation produced by the reactor and which must be disposed of at the end of the life of the reactor. Note that breeder reactors - which are not permitted in the USA - convert some of the otherwise unusable radioactive isotopes into fissionable isotopes, thus allowing more of the fuel to be used and reducing amount of fuel rod waste (with the rods being re-processed to recover more usable fuel rather than just disposed of).
How are nuclear reactions that take place in the sun different from the nuclear reactions that take place in a nuclear reactor?
sun, fusion of hydrogen nuclei making helium nuclei (not radioactive)nuclear reactor, fission of uranium nuclei making a wide variety of different fission product isotopes having mass numbers from 72 to 161 (all very radioactive)
Why would a fusion reactor produce less radioactive waste than a fission reactor?
In my understanding, this is because a fusion reactor reacts deuterium to produce helium, which is not radioactive, whereas a fission uses uranium or plutonium, for example, which may react to form various radioactive isotopes. A fusion reactor may contain small quantities of tritium, in which case a radioactive isotope of hydrogen may be produced, but given that the majority of reactions occurring involve solely the deuterium, there is less radioactive waste produced.
Is cesium radioactive and synthetic?
Some isotopes of cesium are radioactive and synthetic, as indicated in recent news reports about the Japanese nuclear reactor damaged by the recent severe earthquake/tsunami. (The radioactive cesium reported was formed by atomic fission of uranium and/or plutonium in the reactor.) However, most cesium is neither radioactive nor synthetic!
How does nuclear reactor works to produce electricity?
how electricity is produced in a nuclear reactor
Which process is the source of all the thermal energy produced by a nuclear reactor A. Radioactive decayB. Chemical swayC. Nuclear fissionD. Nuclear fusion Plsss helpp?
I thinks its Nuclear fission that’s what I put
What is a used fuel in nuclear power plants?
The used fuel in a nuclear power plant is the nuclear fuel being discharged from the nuclear reactor after being irradiated during reactor operation. It is usually composed of trans-uranium heavy elements, a wide variety of fission products (that resulted from the nuclear fission processes in the nuclear reactor) and products of radioactive decay (produced before and after fuel discharge from the nuclear reactor).
Where is the nuclear energy produced in a nuclear reactor?
In the core.
What is the radioactive element which is a by product of a nuclear reactor?
neptunium and plutonium
How do you use radioactive material?
If you are a smart guy, you can make a nuclear bomb, or a nuclear reactor...
What is a Nuclear reactor moisture separator?
This is used in the nuclear reactor that is known as Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) in which heat produced by the nuclear fission in the nuclear fuel allows the light water reactor coolant to boil. Then, the nuclear reactor moisture separator is used to increase the dryness of the produced steam before it goes to the reactor steam turbines.
Why can't chemical treatment be used to destroy the radioactive products produced in a nuclear reactor?
The radioactive materials produced in a nuclear reactor are radioactive because of instability in the nucleus of the atoms of the radioactive materials. Chemistry only affects the way elements behave because of the electron structure. Chemistry is electonic and the radioactive products have problems in their nuclei. Chemistry doesn't affect the nucleus of the atom, so chemical methods cannot be used to deal with radioactive materials, per se.
