What energy is released from nuclear disintegration?

Answer 1

I am assuming by what you mean what type and by nuclear disintegration you mean decay not fission.

It depends on the type of reaction. Gamma rays (defined as x-rays coming from nuclear events), alpha particles (fast helium nuclei), beta rays (fast electrons), positrons (anti-matter electrons! that usually combine with an electron and release gamma rays) and even neutrinos (fast light weird particles that wouldn't be stopped by a light year's thickness of lead) are all possible.

As for the useful release of energy in the form of some sort of power for a battery or device, there are basically three sorts, listed in approximately in order of usefulness:

1. Radioisotope thermal generators. Usually use alpha particles emitting isotopes like Plutonium-238 and Polonium-210, because alpha particles are energetic but easy to stop (a single thickness of aluminium foil is more than sufficient).

   The energy comes in the form of heat which is generated when the alpha particles crash into something and are absorbed. The heat is either used directly, say to keep a spaceship's computer warm enough in the cold void of space to function properly, or can be converted to electricity with a heat engine (eg. steam engine) or a Peltier device (an electronic device that produces a flow of electricity by having heat flow through it, or conversely can cause a heat flow if powered electrically, turning it into a combined heater and refrigerator).

2. Radio luminescence. These use phosphors like in a fluorescent light bulb mixed with a radiation source. Bombardment with radiation causes the phosphor to glow.

   Either an alpha emitter such as Radium is used, or more recently a beta emitter like Tritium (Hydrogen-3), used in America for emergency signs, trilux glow in the dark gun sight inserts, and even novelty key rings!

   Gamma sources aren't practical because the gamma rays are too penetrating. Which means as well as exposing users of the device to dangerous radiation, only small fraction of the radiation is useful as the rest escapes.

   As well as directly using the light there have been devices such as watches that use a combination of a radio luminescent source and a photocell (what a solar cell is called when it isn't being shined on by the sun) to provide electrical power.

3. Direct electrical conversion. Charged radiation such as beta rays are collected directly to provide a charge source in a similar way to a chemical battery, and/or by their great velocity act on electric or magnetic fields to produce useful electricity, similar to a generator.

   Another example of direct electrical conversion uses spaced metal foils bombarded by gamma rays. The gamma rays knock electrons off one metal foil where it is collected by another. Then electric current can flow when the plates are connected in a circuit. How one foil is affected and the other not I don't know. Perhaps one is in the line of fire of the gamma rays and the other isn't?

As well radioisotopes are used in applications like using the gamma emitters Cobalt-60 for doing x-rays or radiation therapy without requiring electricity. For this use it is usually kept in a lead can with a thin hole drilled in the top. Usually it is covered with a lead shutter, but that is swung aside when the x-ray is to be taken, exposing the x-ray film and the target object in between to the Cobalt-60 source and the gamma rays it produces.