7.3 Nuclear Energy

Parts of an Atom

• Subatomic particles– Proton (+)– Neutron 0– Electron (-)

Uranium

• Element

• Heavy Metal

• Silver and lustrous

• It tarnishes slowly in air

• Reacts with boiling water

Uranium ore – rocks + metal

Pure Uranium Metal

Protons= 92

Neutrons = 146

Electrons = 92

Uranium Atom

Isotope

• Atom lose or gain neutrons

• Changes the mass of an atom

Nuclear Fission

• Splitting the atom by the breaking up of nuclei

• Releases energy• Nuclear power plants• Atomic bombs•

Radioactive

• Gives off energy

• Emit radiation

• Alpha rays

• Beta rays

• Gamma rays

Uranium Mine

• Dig for uranium ore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJU115a9Stc

Uranium Mill

• Uranium ore (rock) is processed

• Pure metal is extracted from the rock

Tailings

• Debris produced by mining• If these uranium tailings are

left on the surface and allowed to dry out

• The radioactive sand can be carried great distances by the wind, entering the food chain and bodies of water.

Nuclear Power Plant

• Converts uranium metal by fission into electricity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igf96TS3Els

Nuclear Reactor

• Site of fission – splits uranium

Fuel Rod

• Rods that contain pellets of uranium

Control Rod

• Used to “control” the reaction

• Keeps the reactor safe

• Absorbs neutrons

Core

• Portion of a nuclear reactor containing the nuclear fuel components where the nuclear reactions take place

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrhzkoNU84g

Chain Reaction

• A process in which neutrons released in fission produce an additional fission in at least one further nucleus.

• This nucleus in turn produces neutrons, and the process repeats.

• The process may be controlled (nuclear power)

• or uncontrolled (nuclear weapons).

Meltdown

• Melting of the core

• Three Mile Island, PA, USA• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afdkyvSBehw

• Chernobyl, Russia• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvAJ_u3Q0Hw

Nuclear Waste

• Radioactive Waste

• Used fuel rods stored in sealed containers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omXT5slKHGs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHjWttUqAdk

Effects of Uranium Radiation

• The effects of the uranium war came home in the bodies of the veterans that participated in the fist war of Golf

• Soldiers transmitted to their women the destructives genetic effects in the “ardent sperm”

• Women passed it to their children that were born with no arms and other mutations. 

Nuclear Depletion

• Small amounts of uranium in the environment

• Bad effects on health and environment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_RqK_tpkBU

• Tons of uranium has fallen over Iraq and Afghanistan.

• The effects of the metal powder deployed on the winds, the sand storms, the water, the soil and the living creatures affect also a big region that is breathing particles of uranium in Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. 

Leukemia

• Cancer of blood cells• Fatigue • Malaise (vague feeling of bodily discomfort) • Abnormal bleeding • Excessive bruising • Weakness • Reduced exercise tolerance • Weight loss • Bone or joint pain • Infection and fever • Abdominal pain or "fullness" • Enlarged spleen, lymph nodes, and liver