What is nuclear fission? Name the fuel commonly used in nuclear reactors and briefly describe how electricity is generat

Question

What is nuclear fission? Name the fuel commonly used in nuclear reactors and briefly describe how electricity is generated in these power plants.

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the heavy nucleus of a radioactive atom, such as uranium-235 or plutonium, splits into two or more smaller nuclei when bombarded with low-energy neutrons, releasing an enormous amount of energy along with additional neutrons. The fuel commonly used is Uranium-235. In a nuclear power plant, this fission reaction is carried out in a controlled manner inside a nuclear reactor. The massive amount of thermal energy released during the fission process is used to heat water and convert it into high-pressure steam. This steam drives the turbines connected to electrical generators, thereby producing electricity efficiently without burning fossil fuels.

Sources of Energy

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