Mr. Lowrie's Science Site
  • Home
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics
    • First Week Stuff
    • Chapter 1: Measurement
    • Chapter 2: Motion Along a Straight Line
    • Chapter 3: Vectors
    • Chapter 4: Motion in Two and Three Dimensions
    • Chapter 5: Force and Motion I
    • Chapter 6: Force and Motion II
    • Chapter 7: Kinetic Energy and Work
    • Chapter 8: Potential Energy and Conservation
    • Chapter 9: Center of Mass and Linear Momentum
  • AP Environmental Science
    • First Week Stuff
    • Unit I: Humans and Sustainability: An Overview >
      • Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability
    • Unit II: Science, Ecological Principles, and Sustainability >
      • Chapter 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems
      • Chapter 3: Ecosystems: What are They and How Do They Work?
      • Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Evolution
      • Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population Control
      • Chapter 6: The Human Population and Its Impact
      • Chapter 7: Climate and Biodiversity
      • Chapter 8: Aquatic Biodiversity
    • Unit III: Sustaining Biodiversity >
      • Chapter 9: Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Species and Ecosystem Services
      • Chapter 10: Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: Saving Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services
      • Chapter 11: Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
    • Unit IV: Sustaining Natural Resources >
      • Chapter 12: Food Production and the Environment
      • Chapter 13: Water Resources
      • Chapter 14: Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
      • Chapter 15: Nonrenewable Energy
      • Chapter 16: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
    • Unit V: Sustaining Environmental Quality >
      • Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health
      • Chapter 18: Air Pollution
      • Chapter 19: Climate Disruption
      • Chapter 20: Water Pollution
      • Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste
      • Chapter 22: Urbanization and Sustainability
    • Unit VI: Sustaining Human Societies >
      • Chapter 23: Economics, Environment, and Sustainability
      • Chapter 24: Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
      • Chapter 25: Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability
  • Chemistry
    • First Week Stuff
    • Matter

Section 2:  Nuclear Energy

Chapter 17 Section 2 Presentation
File Size: 670 kb
File Type: ppt
Download File

Key Terms:
  • nuclear energy
  • nuclear fission
  • ​nuclear fusion
Main Ideas:
  • Nuclear energy is energy that exists within the nucleus of an atom.  When uranium nuclei are bombarded with neutrons, they undergo fission and release large amounts of energy.
  • In a nuclear power station, the heat generated by fission is used to heat water to form steam.  The steam drives turbines that generate electricity.
  • The main advantages of nuclear power are that the fuel is compact and the power stations generally do not pollute.  The main disadvantage is that nuclear power produces radioactive waste, which will be dangerous for centuries.
Proudly powered by Weebly