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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.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoUranium is used as the nuclear fuel in nuclear power plants. Uranium, unusally in the form of its oxide, is welded into fuel rods or plates, and the rods or plates are welded together in bundles.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoMost of the nuclear power stations use Uranium as a fuel.
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Which substances is a fuel used in nuclear power plants?
Uranium
Radioactive metal used in nuclear power plants?
I think it is uranium
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 are the advantages and disadvantages of using uranium as a fuel?
Uranium is very important as a nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants. But uranium is toxic and radioactive.
Why is uranium used in nuclear power production?
Uranium is a radioactive substance. Nuclear power production is carried out by the energy supplied by nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactors control the energy emission by nuclear fission reaction in radioactive substance when bombarded by neutrons.
From where radioactive wastes are produced?
By nuclear power plants
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
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.
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.
Which nuclear process occurs within nuclear power plants and produces radioactive waste materials?
Nuclear Fission
Do most nuclear power plants use atoms to make nuclear energy?
Nuclear power plants use the heat from the radioactive decay of Uranium or other radioactive atoms to boil water and make steam to run electrical generators.
Which substances is a fuel used in nuclear power plants?
Uranium
Is the radioactive waste from nuclear power plants dangerous?
It contains a higher amount of radioactivity
Radioactive metal used in nuclear power plants?
I think it is uranium
What has the author Carl E Behrens written?
Carl E. Behrens has written: 'International agreement to cut off production of nuclear weapons material' -- subject(s): Nuclear nonproliferation 'Nuclear waste management' -- subject(s): Radioactive waste disposal 'Nuclear waste management' -- subject(s): Radioactive waste disposal, Government policy, Radioactive wastes, Management, Hazardous wastes 'Nuclear nonproliferation policy' -- subject(s): Nuclear nonproliferation 'Nuclear power' -- subject(s): Accidents, Nuclear power plants, Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant (Pa.) 'Enriched uranium supplies for nuclear power plants' -- subject(s): Uranium enrichment, Nuclear power plants 'The Convention on nuclear safety' -- subject(s): Convention on Nuclear Safety, Design and construction, Nuclear power plants, Safety measures
Where would you dispose the radioactive material from nuclear power plants when you run out of disposal grounds?
NIMBY
Is it possible to undo atomic or nuclear weapons once made?
Yes, nuclear weapons can be scrapped. The radioactive materials can be used in nuclear power plants.
