Nuclear Power ![]()
Nuclear power is an energy which can be changed into electricity. Nuclear power is what you get when you split an atom. One ounce of uranium ( nuclear fuel) contains the same amount of energy as ninety tons of coal! Therefore nuclear power is much more efficient.
Nuclear power is generated through a process called "fission". Fission is what you get when you split an atom into two or more fragments. This releases energy in the form of heat. The heat is then used to boil water, making steam to run the turbines, which turn a generator to make electricity, which lets you look at a this web page. Above is an animation to show you how this happens.
There are also dangers and concerns that come with nuclear energy. Disposing of the wastes is a problem. One way is dropping a container of waste into a hole 100-150 feet deep at the bottom of an ocean. It is also buried in deep holes on land, far away from where anyone lives. Nuclear reactors must be sheathed in massive concrete and lead walls to prevent radiation from escaping. Exposure to too much radiation can also cause cancer.