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Usually, yes.

There are other purposes for nuclear reactors, however. One of these is to produce synthetic isotopes, which are used for a variety of purposes. These include medical diagnosis, medical treatment, various technical purposes, and manufacture of nuclear bombs. Most reactors, however, just heat water to make steam.

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The word that describes what is a power source that splits atoms that contain large amounts of energy?

Nuclear reactor.


Are nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants the same?

Not really. It depends on what you are trying to do. A nuclear power plant is a power plant that uses a nuclear reactor as its source of energy. A nuclear reactor, on the other hand, is a more generalized term for a device that uses nuclear energy (specifically the release of binding energy from the Strong Atomic Force) to do something. In the general case, we use the reactor to generate energy for the power plant to use in generating electricity. Sometimes, we use the reactor for other, research type things, such as generating a neutron flux to study the physics of nuclide activation.


Why do nuclear reactors have to be located near water?

Water is used as coolant in most reactor plants to keep the reactor cool and prevent over heating. They do not necessarily need to be near a source of water; water just has to be available. However, a lot of nuclear reactors are build by a natural source of water so that the water can be used as an emergency source of coolant to keep the reactor covered with water in case of a rupture.


How does nuclear reactor produce electricity?

A nuclear reactor produces electricity through a process called nuclear fission. The reactor uses uranium fuel to generate heat, which then boils water to produce steam. The steam drives turbines that are connected to generators, producing electricity.


What is the source of energy in nuclear reactor?

The source of energy in a nuclear reactor is the release of binding energy, i.e. the binding energy that hold protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of the atom. Heavy nuclides, such as uranium, are split into lighter nuclides, such as cesium and barium (and many others, in a semi-random cross section). The binding energy required to hold the original uranium together is less than the daughter products and is released to the system in the form of heat and other radiation.

Related Questions

What is the function of a nuclear reactor of a nuclear plant?

simply, the nuclear reactor is the source of heat (or steam) for the nuclear power plant.


What is a nuclear powerstation?

A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station. The heat source is nuclear reactor. Its main point is to produce electricity.


What power source needs to be replaced every fifty years?

nuclear reactor on ship


The word that describes what is a power source that splits atoms that contain large amounts of energy?

Nuclear reactor.


Are nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants the same?

Not really. It depends on what you are trying to do. A nuclear power plant is a power plant that uses a nuclear reactor as its source of energy. A nuclear reactor, on the other hand, is a more generalized term for a device that uses nuclear energy (specifically the release of binding energy from the Strong Atomic Force) to do something. In the general case, we use the reactor to generate energy for the power plant to use in generating electricity. Sometimes, we use the reactor for other, research type things, such as generating a neutron flux to study the physics of nuclide activation.


What is the difference between nuclear power plant and nuclear reactor?

It's really just a matter of degree, all reactors produce some power. Those used in a power plant will produce perhaps 3000 to 5000 Megawatts thermal. Low power reactors producing a few kilowatts are used for experiments, teaching in universities, and for producing radioisotopes by irradiating samples, but reactors in this sort of power level would not be harnessed to produce electricity, the heat produced if large enough would be removed and rejected to the atmosphere or to a water cooling circuit. This makes them simple to operate and to start and stop as required.


Why do nuclear reactors have to be located near water?

Water is used as coolant in most reactor plants to keep the reactor cool and prevent over heating. They do not necessarily need to be near a source of water; water just has to be available. However, a lot of nuclear reactors are build by a natural source of water so that the water can be used as an emergency source of coolant to keep the reactor covered with water in case of a rupture.


Which process is the source of all the thermal energy produced by a nuclear reactor A. Radioactive decayB. Chemical swayC. Nuclear fissionD. Nuclear fusion Plsss helpp?

I thinks its Nuclear fission that’s what I put


Is nuclear waste stored in Colorado?

There are no nuclear power plants in Colorado. The only source of waste might be from a small teaching or medical isotope reactor, I have no information on this.


When was the Beginning of the use as a nuclear energy source?

The first production of electrical power from a nuclear reactor was in the UK at Calder Hall, 1956. Shippingport in the US followed soon after


Potassium iodide is used in what?

- potassium iodide is added to table salt as a source of iodine- potassium iodide is a food supplement during a nuclear accident in a nuclear reactor- for the preparation of AgI


What does keff mean in nuclear reactor world?

keff is defined as the neutrons in one generation due to fission divided by the neutrons from the previous generation. The denominator includes the source neutrons. Thus it is the fractional change in neutron population.