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What you should know by the end of this lesson:
What you should know by the end of this lesson:
What is Uranium 235?
How Uranium makes energy.
Background
Background
Britain has used nuclear power since 1956 when the Windscale (now Sellafield) plant opened, the world’s first commercial nuclear power station. The UK currently operates 8 nuclear power stations which have between 1 and 2 reactors in each This produces 18.7% of the nation’s electricity (2018). However, most of the current nuclear power stations are due to be decommissioned over the next two decades and there is widespread debate about commissioning replacements for these ageing facilities. The UK government plans for a new batch of nuclear power stations to ensure energy security, with the first of these to be built at Hinkley Point in Somerset given approval in 2016.
As of April 2020, there are 440 nuclear reactors in operation worldwide. A further 164 are under construction or planned. this provides an electrical capacity of 390GW of energy. That is enough to boil your kettle 19.5 billion times.
Some Naval ships and submarines also have nuclear power plants for their engine. The Trident submarines are all nuclear-powered submarines.
Uranium
Uranium
As you have learnt about energy security is very important for countries. However, it could come at a cost to others
Digital Workbook Task and Paper Jotter Task:
Write out the word Uranium in block letters
Inside each letter, write a fact about Uranium from the list below
Key Facts about Uranium
Uranium has the chemical symbol U & atomic number 92
The half-life of uranium is between 159 200 and 4.5 billion years (remember it is one of the materials which produces Earths internal heat)
Uranium-235 is the only naturally occurring fissile isotope (the type of uranium which can undergo fission in a reactor)
Uranium-235 (235U) accounts for only 0.7% of all naturally occurring Uranium
Discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth
Uranium is silvery grey metallic in appearance
the melting point is 1132.2 C (1405.3K)
How does Uranium generate electricity?
How does Uranium generate electricity?
There are 2 parts to understanding how Uranium is used to create energy.
Digital Workbook Task and Paper Jotter Task:
For Nuclear Fission and Nuclear reactor
Copy down the diagrams and explanations of what is going on inside each.
Nuclear Fission
Fission is the main process used for generating nuclear energy and involves the splitting of atoms to release energy which can then be harnessed.
Uranium-235 (235U) is used in the fission process as its atoms have relatively large nuclei that are easy to split.
When 235U undergoes fission, the nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei plus a few neutrons, releasing heat energy and gamma radiation.
The neutrons hit other uranium nuclei and cause them to split, causing a chain reaction.
The chain reaction must be controlled in a nuclear reactor to stop it from going too fast.
In a nuclear power station, the energy released through fission is used to heat water and generate steam, which turns turbines and generates electrical power.
Nuclear Reactor
Inside the Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear power stations work in pretty much the same way as fossil fuel-burning stations, except that a "chain reaction" inside a nuclear reactor makes the heat instead.
The reactor uses Uranium rods as fuel, and the heat is generated by nuclear fission. Neutrons smash into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which split roughly in half and release energy in the form of heat.
Carbon dioxide gas is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away, and the hot gas then heats water to make steam.
The steam drives turbines which drive generators.
Modern nuclear power stations use the same type of turbines and generators as conventional power stations.
Lesson Complete
Lesson Complete
Now return to your Teams assignment and complete the quiz to test how well you have understood this lesson
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