Uranium-235

Uranium was first discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth. It was formed in supernovas about 6.6 billion years ago. Uranium is one of the heavier elements on the periodic table, being 18.7 times as dense as water. It is element number 92 and this specific isotope has 235 nucleons. This indicates to us that Uranium 235 has 92 protons, 92 electrons, and 143 neutrons. Uranium’s slow radioactive decay is the main source of heat inside the earth, causing convection and continental drift. Uranium 235 is the only naturally occurring fissionable fuel (can sustain a chain reaction) in the world. U-235 is special because it can readily split, which would create a lot of energy. It is called ‘fissile’. When the nucleus of U-235 atoms captures a neutron, it splits in two. This causes a release in energy in the form of heat, as well as 2 to 3 neutrons being thrown off. Nuclear factories use Uranium 235 as their main source of fuel. The heat given off by the fuel is used to…

Nuclear power is created through the process of nuclear fission, this involves splitting a large nucleus into two smaller nuclei with the release of kinetic energy and gamma radiation. The atoms that are usually used in the process of nuclear power are uranium 235 or plutonium 239. When a neutron with energy hits uranium 235, it becomes unstable and splits into two smaller nuclei such as barium and krypton whilst also releasing kinetic energy in the form of heat and also two or three neutrons…

amount of electricity from one single plant. As of today, the fossil fuels are consumed faster than they are produced, so in future these resource might reduce or the price will increase. There are also some disadvantage of using nuclear to generate electricity. One of the major disadvantage of using nuclear power is the storage of radioactive waste. The radioactive waste from nuclear power plant is extremely dangerous. Another drawback of using nuclear power is terrorist attacks. Nuclear power…

understandings of the nature of atoms. In 1898 France, Paris, Pierre and his wife Marie Curie discovered a new substance within an ore of Uranium that they named radium that emitted large amounts of (as we now call) radioactivity. Ernest Rutherford and Frederick Soddy Identified that atoms can break down and turn into different elements. For example if a block of uranium were left alone for 4.5 billion years, around 45% of it would turn into lead. Hopes for scientists around the world were…

commonsense units, the splitting of 1 kg (2.2 lb) of uranium-235 discharges 18.7 million kwh as warmth. Second, the splitting procedure started by the retention of one neutron in uranium-235 discharges around 2.5 neutrons, on the normal, from the split cores. The neutrons discharged in this way rapidly cause the splitting of two more particles, in this manner discharging four or more extra neutrons and starting a self-supporting arrangement of atomic partings, or a chain response, which brings…

Elsa Gaston 1. Why is U-235 (the uranium isotope with a mass of 235 amu) a special element and what is it used for?- Under some conditions U-235 can be spilt and yield a lot of energy. It can be used for nuclear fission. 2. Describe nuclear fission and how the famous equation E = mc2 relates to this process?- It is when the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller nuclei or fission products. It is an exothermic reaction and a lot of energy is released. It is the equation that is in accordance…

after. This is called a chain reaction. Nuclear power plants are power plants that use Uranium 235 that undergo fission, to release the energy inside the nucleus of an atom. Fission is the process of separating the nucleus of an atom. Once one atom is split, it creates a chain reaction that makes most of the other atoms split. This makes the Uranium…

Uranium is a chemical element that is naturally radioactive. Its symbol is U. Uranium is a radioactive silvery-white metallic element of the actinide series. Uranium has 235 isotopes. Most nuclear power plants use uranium as fuel because its atoms are easily split part. Uranium generates the heat in nuclear power reactors, and produces the fissile material for nuclear weapons. Deposits of uranium are found in China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Namibia, Greenland, South Africa, United…

This usually happens because the reactor core of the power plant overheats due to the inadequate process of cooldown or something happened to the rods which regulate the chain reaction. This makes the fission chain reaction unstoppable and will cause the reactor core to explode, and also it will melt the uranium rods in the process. When it explodes, there is a release of nuclear fallout because this is a nuclear explosion. Nuclear fallout is very dangerous as it contains high amounts of…

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant is located 20 miles southwest of Raleigh, NC. It is a 900 megawatt facility, which provided energy to 550,000 households. Enriched uranium (uranium dioxide pellets) is used as the fuel in the plant, which is 2-3% uranium 235. Cooling is necessary and the plant uses 800-2,600 gallons of water per megawatt hour. U-235 will decay into U-238, which is the primary waste product. Please see the PhET Simulations website for multiple simulations about nuclear…