1. Nuclear Energy Section 17.2
Objectives:
3.0 Evaluate other sources of energy for their effectiveness as alternatives to fossil fuels.
3.1 Comparing nuclear fission and nuclear fusion reactions in the production of energy
3.2 Comparing energy production and waste output in generating nuclear energy

2. Assignment Nuclear Power/Energy K-W-L:
Make 3 columns: Know, Wonder, and Learned.
List everything you know and wonder about for nuclear power or energy. (Fill in the 1st 2 columns ONLY.

3. Nuclear Power Video
Video worksheet

4. Fission: Splitting Atoms
Nuclear energy: the energy in the nucleus of an atom
Nuclear fission: splitting the nucleus of an atom
Caused when atoms are bombarded with neutrons
Releases the energy holding the nucleus together, as well as more neutrons

5. Chain Reactions
Dominoes video (
How could you stop this chain reaction from happening?

6. Fission

7. How Nuclear Energy Works
Power plants split atoms of uranium.
Fuel rods contain uranium.
Control rods contain cadmium or boron, which absorb the neutrons.
When control rods are lowered between the fuel rods, they slow or stop the chain reactions.

8. How Nuclear Energy Works, continued…..

9. The Advantages of Nuclear Energy
Very concentrated energy source
Does not produce air-polluting gases
Properly operated plants produce LESS radioactivity than coal-fired plants do.

10. Why Aren’t We Using More Nuclear Energy?
What are some reasons we don’t use more nuclear energy?
Costs more to build and maintain than other options
Safe storage of waste
Transportation issues
Must be a geologically stable area for thousands of years
Safety concerns

11. The Future of Nuclear Power
Nuclear fusion: lightweight atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus and release lots of energy
Nuclear fusion is what “powers” the sun and stars
How is fusion better environmentally?
What’s the holdup? The temperature required is about 100,000,000°C!!!

12. Assignment
Complete 3rd column of K-W-L Chart started at the beginning of this section.
Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants. (Include information from the Figure 3 (p.436) and Figure 15 (p.445), and from your notes.)