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The nuclear fission process produces a range of lighter elements as fission products, and many of these are radioactive.

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Why do spent nuclear fuels generate heat?

Spent nuclear fuel generates heat due to the radioactive decay of the leftover isotopes in the fuel rods. These isotopes emit radiation as they decay, which produces heat energy. The heat generated must be carefully managed to prevent overheating and ensure the safe storage of the spent nuclear fuel.


What is the source of heat in the Earth interior?

The decay of radioactive isotopes.The decay of radioactive isotopes.The decay of radioactive isotopes.The decay of radioactive isotopes.


When radioactive isotopes break down into other elements the process is called?

radioactive decay


What is bad about nuclear waste?

It is highly radioactive (that is the waste contained in the spent fuel)


What are radioactive waste disposal methods?

the methods of radioactive waste disposal varies by the waste form (solid, liquid. gaseous) and the radioactivity level (low, intermediate, high). Primarily; three methods are applied:delay and decay: to maintain waste in tanks for some periods of time to allow decay of radioactivity and then to be disposed of to environment.dilute and disperse: to dispose to environment (through dilution and dispersion, incineration) as ocean, sea, atmosphere, etc.contain and concentrate: This is used mainly for high level radioactive waste as spent fuel or the spent fuel reprocessing products; either in wet storage, dry storage, or vitrifies waste


What causes a nuclear reactor that is used for power supply to continually produce toxic waste?

It's all about the nuclear fission byproducts. When fission occurs, a couple of neutrons are produced. But what happened to the rest of the uranium atom? The bulk of its mass remains as fission fragments. The fission fragments are radioactive byproducts of the event, and they in turn have to decay (radioactively) into something that is stable. This can take several transitions, and the decay rates vary from fractions of a second to millions of years. Spent fuel is highly radioactive ("hot"), and it has a variety of long-lived radionuclides in it. Nuclear fuel is seal up (welded inside) cladding to "keep it in one place" when fuel plates or fuel rods are produced. The spent fuel has all this highly radioactive and nasty-as-heck stuff inside the fuel plates or fuel rods. The radioactive byproducts are radioactive (and highly so!) for a long, long, long time. Aside from the possibility of radioactive contamination that might occur in a nuclear accident, the long-term storage of spent fuel is a major headache. The length of time it will take for the stuff to "cool off" radioactively, once the (fairly simple) physics of radioactive decay is comprehended, will leave the understanding person ill. Use the link to the Wikipedia article on long-lived fission products and skim it. Note what is produced and the half-lives of the stuff. It's disconcerting.


How hot is radioactive waste?

The temperature of radioactive waste can vary significantly depending on its type and age. Freshly produced high-level radioactive waste, such as spent nuclear fuel, can be extremely hot, reaching temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius due to the decay of radioactive isotopes. Over time, as the isotopes decay, the heat generation decreases, but it can still remain warm for thousands of years. Proper management and cooling systems are essential to handle this heat safely.


What happens to fuel rods that are used to create nuclear fission?

You have a misapprehension there, it is uranium oxide that is used in fuel rods, not fossil fuel


How is the radioactive decay of Krypton different from the radioactive decay of Americium?

The radioactive decay of americium 241 is by alpha disintegration; the disintegration of radioactive krypton isotopes is by beta particles emission.


What term indicates the process in which unstable nuclide release radiation?

If it is related to Nuclear studies, then the answer would be fusion.


What are the methods of disposing radioactive waste?

the methods of disposing radioactive waste depend on:the waste physical form (solid, liquid. gaseous) andthe radioactivity level (low, intermediate, high).Primarily; three methods are applied:delay and decay: to maintain waste in tanks for some periods of time to allow decay of radioactivity and then to be disposed of to environment.dilute and disperse: to dispose to environment (through dilution and dispersion) as ocean, sea, atmosphere, etc.contain and concentrate: This is used mainly for high level radioactive waste as spent fuel or the spent fuel reprocessing products; either in wet storage, dry storage, or incineration&containment in barrels, or vitrified waste.


What is lost during radioactive decay?

Decay energy is the energy that has been freed during radioactive decay. When radioactive decay is ongoing it drops off some energy by means of discharging radiation.