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Uranium or Plutonium, but any fissionable material can be used. These radioactive materials will fission when struck by a neutron; releasing energy, radioactive fission products, and more neutrons (which continue the chain reaction).

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9y ago
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13y ago

In fission, it is the energy released when a nucleus such as that of U-235 splits into two parts. Fundamentally it is a question of the relative forces which exist in the nucleus between protons and neutrons, which means heavy nuclei like U-235 are more unstable than lighter ones.

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15y ago

Without being flip, a nuclear energy source is a source of energy that is based on the physics of fusion, or more usually fission for us earthers. Nuclear energy basically comes in two "flavors" as we know it: fusion and fission. You might add a third: radioactive decay. Fusion happens in stars, and also in fusion weapons we make. It's the most common nuclear energy source in the universe. Fission happens in nuclear reactors or (on a very limited scale) in some radionuclides. And now that we've touched on radionuclides, which are radioactive materials, they're nuclear energy sources, too. These isotopes will decay spontaneoudly, and their radioactive decay can be a source of energy. Note that radioactive decay is "limited" as a real "power producer" like a nuclear reactor that is used as part of an electric power plant would be. If it wasn't for the fusion reactions going on in the sun, you wouldn't be here. You're familiar with both the fission and fusion bombs as nuclear energy sources. There are a number of fission reactors operating around the globe. We might use a radioactive material as a nuclear energy source (a heat source) for thermoelectric power generation aboard a space probe that is going to be sent into the outer areas of the solar system where solar energy is limited.

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10y ago

Nuclear power plants use nuclear energy that comes out of nuclear fission.

The source is enriched (or natural) uranium fabricated into pellets. The pellects are stacked into tubes (called cladding tubes) forming cylindrical fuel rods. These fuel rods are assembled into a fuel assembly. The fuel assemblies are loaded into the reactor core. The core is equipped with control rods or elements (of high capture neutron capability) for reactor power control and for safety. The nuclear fissions in the fuel produces heat that is transferred to water and producing steam. The steam blows through the vanes of a turbine to spin an electric generator,

just as if the water had been boiled by burning oil, gas, or coal.

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13y ago

The loss of binding energy.

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13y ago

nuclear fission

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15y ago

Uranium

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Q: Which energy source is used in nuclear power plants?
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Related questions

What Power plant that uses uranium as a source of energy?

Uranium (or plutonium) is a source of energy (nuclear fuel) in nuclear power plants.


French main source of energy?

nuclear power plants


What energy source provides France with most of its power?

nuclear power plants


What is the source of energy in nuclear power plants?

The source of energy in almost all nuclear power plants is fission or the splitting of the atom. There are a few experimental fusion power plants, (or the joining of the atoms), but, there are few of them, since the energy needed to produce fusion is extremly high, and only last a few seconds. Around 99.99% of nuclear power plants are fission power plants.


What do nuclear power plants have to do with nuclear energy?

Nuclear power plants produce electricity by using nuclear energy


What energy do nuclear power plants convert nuclear energy to?

Nuclear power plants convert nuclear energy to electrical.sometimes it can be used to enrich radioactive nuclei which can later used in missile warheads. But using thorium as a source of nuclear power we can't enrich nuclei but we can use for electrical power generation which might have more energy than former


What is Frances main energy source?

Nuclear power plants and fossil fuels such as petroleum.


What is the most powerful man made energy source on earth?

Nuclear reactions like nuclear power plants ^_~


How are nuclear power plants different from other plants?

The source of the energy is the nuclear reactor, rather than a furnace for burning fossil fuels.


What is the source of the large amount of energy released in nuclear power plants and in the sun?

Hydrogen gas


Where is nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy is generated in nuclear power plants, of which there are many.


How can you produce energy in future by nuclear power plant if there is no source?

The source of nuclear power is the nucleus of an atom; any atom. As long as there is mass in the universe there will be a source of nuclear power. Even if in the future we run out of the radioactive material we currently use to fuel nuclear power plants, it would be foolish to assume that we will never again be able to harness nuclear energy in another way.