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radioactive materials used are materials that can ungergo a process knows as fission.
when, for example, uranium is purifiedit emits neutrons, these neutrons hit other uranium atoms and cause them to do the same but they emmit 2 neutrons.
if the sample of uranium is large enough (a quantity known as "crittical mass") the neutron interactions cause a chain reaction and generates heat as well as a significant increase in the rate of radioactive decay (to put it simply).
this chain reaction can get out of hand and can cause an accident, such as the one at chernobyl and this causes a "meltdown" where the reaction becomes uncontrolable and releases enormous quantities of radiation.
to prevent this occurring "control rods" are used. these are rods of neutron-absorbing material that can be lowered into the uranium and prevent the system from getting out of hand (hence the phrase "control rods"). as the excess neutrons are absorbed they do not interact with the uranium.
the heat that is generated by the uranium is transfered to a coolant (normally liquid CO2) and this heat is then transfered to a boiler where it boils water (this way the water never comes close to the radioactive uranium and is safer) the boiling water produces pressure which is used to turn turbines which generate electricity.
it is also worth noting that a nuclear power station does not generate CO2.
radio active substances produce heat. The heat is used to raise the temperature of water to produce steam. The steam is directed (at high pressure) onto the blades of a turbine causing it to rotate. The turbine drives a generator which produces electricity which is fed into the grid.
What else can I help you with?
Do nuclear power plants produce radioactive substances?
Yes, but they also consume them. The uranium fuel used has a halflife measured in billions of years, the materials they produce have halflives measured in only hundreds or thousands of years. So in the long term balance of things they consume radioactive substances faster than they produce them.
What kind of toxic waste produced nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste, which is a byproduct of nuclear reactions in power plants. This waste can include spent nuclear fuel, contaminated materials, and other radioactive substances, all of which require safe storage and disposal methods to prevent environmental and health risks.
What are nuclear materials?
Nuclear materials refer to substances that can undergo nuclear reactions, such as uranium and plutonium. These materials are used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity or in nuclear weapons for military purposes. Special precautions are needed in handling and storing nuclear materials due to their radioactive properties.
Radioactive metal used in nuclear power plants?
Uranium is the radioactive metal commonly used in nuclear power plants for fuel production. It undergoes fission reaction to generate heat, which is used to produce steam and generate electricity in nuclear reactors.
What radioactive material does power plants use?
Power plants typically use uranium as a radioactive material for nuclear energy production. The uranium undergoes a process called nuclear fission to generate heat, which is then used to create steam that drives turbines to produce electricity.
From where radioactive wastes are produced?
By nuclear power plants
Do nuclear power plants produce radioactive substances?
Yes, but they also consume them. The uranium fuel used has a halflife measured in billions of years, the materials they produce have halflives measured in only hundreds or thousands of years. So in the long term balance of things they consume radioactive substances faster than they produce them.
What has the author Michael D Matheny written?
Michael D Matheny has written: 'QWATA documentation' -- subject(s): Dosage, Environmental aspects, Environmental aspects of Nuclear power plants, Nuclear power plants, Radiation, Radiation dosimetry, Radioactive pollution of water, Radioactive substances in rivers, lakes
Can you get power from the radioactive element Uranium?
Yes, the radioactive decay of Uranium-235 is used to produce power in nuclear power plants.
How is nuclear energy used beside in power plants?
Though power plants are, perhaps, the most important use of nuclear energy, there are a lot of others. Radioactive substances are used in for variety of industrial and technical functions. The most common of these is possibly the use of radioactive materials in smoke detectors. Also, nuclear emissions are used for measurement, such as of the thickness of things otherwise difficult to measure,, or for imaging. There are important uses for radioactive substances in medicine. Some of these are used for diagnosis, such as in imaging. Others are used in therapy. Also, whether we like it or not, nuclear energy is used in nuclear bombs.
Which nuclear process occurs within nuclear power plants and produces radioactive waste materials?
Nuclear Fission
Do radioactive isotopes are used in medicine power plants and as tracers?
Yes, radioactive isotopes are used in medicine for diagnostic imaging and cancer treatment, in power plants for generating electricity through nuclear fission reactions, and as tracers in industries to track the movement of substances in various processes.
What is the use of radioactive substances as to heat and light?
Radioactive substances can be used to generate heat and light through a process called nuclear fission. When the nucleus of a radioactive atom splits, it releases energy in the form of heat and gamma radiation, which can be harnessed for various applications such as electricity generation in nuclear power plants or medical treatments like radiation therapy.
Which produces more radioactivity in the atmosphere coal fire power plants or nuclear power plants?
Coal-fired power plants produce more radioactive material in the atmosphere than nuclear power plants. This is because coal contains naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium and thorium that are released during combustion. Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste, but the containment and storage of this waste is carefully managed to minimize its impact on the environment.
What kind of toxic waste produced nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste, which is a byproduct of nuclear reactions in power plants. This waste can include spent nuclear fuel, contaminated materials, and other radioactive substances, all of which require safe storage and disposal methods to prevent environmental and health risks.
What are nuclear materials?
Nuclear materials refer to substances that can undergo nuclear reactions, such as uranium and plutonium. These materials are used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity or in nuclear weapons for military purposes. Special precautions are needed in handling and storing nuclear materials due to their radioactive properties.
Is the radioactive waste from nuclear power plants dangerous?
It contains a higher amount of radioactivity
