A Study On Digital Electronics And Logic Gates

Nuclear energy is the energy of the atomic nucleus of an associate atom. Atoms are a unit of little particles that form every object within the universe. Bonds that connect atoms have huge energy. Atomic energy is often used to generate electricity. 

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is emitted from an atom in two ways: fusion and fission. In fusion, energy is released when two or more atoms bond or fuse to create larger atoms. In fission, the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller atoms. Atomic energy plants use fission to produce electricity.

What is Nuclear Fission?

When a nucleus splits into several lightweight nuclei by an activity, the process is termed fission. This decay could also be a spontaneous decay of nature because of disintegration or simulation within the laboratory by achieving the specified conditions (neutrino impact). When a Uranium-235 atom is bombarded with a nucleon, it splits into 2 lighter nuclei.

What is Nuclear Fusion?

When two or more light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus the reaction is called nuclear fusion. This process happens in elements like hydrogen, which have a low atomic number. Thus, nuclear fusion is the opposite of nuclear fission. All the stars in the universe, including the sun, use this reaction to generate heat and energy. 

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is obtained through nuclear reactions such as nuclear fission, nuclear decay, and nuclear fusion. In power plants, electricity is generated by the fission of uranium atoms in a nuclear reactor. Nuclear decay is generally used in specialised applications such as the radioisotope thermoelectric generators of a spacecraft. The energy released from nuclear fusion to produce electric power has the prospect of being an unlimited source of energy supply for future generations.

Nuclear Reactor 

Formerly referred to as atomic clusters, nuclear reactors are devices used to initiate and manage fission chain reactions or fusion reactions. They are also used to generate electricity at atomic energy plants and for the propulsion of nuclear ships. The heat from the fission is supplied to the hydraulic fluid (water or gas) that passes through the turbine. These drive the propellers of the ship or rotate the shaft of the generator. 

As a rule, the steam created by nuclear technology is often used for heat in industrial processes or district heating. Some reactors are also used to manufacture medical and industrial isotopes or to provide plutonium 239. In early 2019, the IAEA reports that 454 atomic energy plants and 226 reactors were operational worldwide.

The first organisation to produce nuclear energy was the US Navy. The Navy used S1W reactors to power submarines and craft carriers. The first submarine, the USS Nautilus, went out into the ocean in 1954. The US Navy used the S1W reactor to power submarines because the model was easier to use and was a lot more compact than the other reactors. The S1W reactor proved to be the first prototype of the naval reactor that could be used efficiently in the production of electricity and power submarines.

Controlled Nuclear Fusion 

Fusion ought to occur in bulk in material for it to generate the quantity of energy that can be used. For this, you need the material to reach such high temperatures that the particles have enough energy to penetrate the Coulomb barrier with thermal motion alone. This methodology is called atomic fusion. Therefore, for atomic fusion to occur, extreme temperature and pressure conditions are needed, something that is only seen in stars. 

The energy generated by atomic reactions is improbably high. Controlling or containing these reactions has proved to be a major challenge. The physics of reacting plasmas means to refuel, availability of reaction products, and achieving long-lasting components have proved to be the major hurdles in achieving controlled nuclear fusion. 

Conclusion

• Once a nucleus splits into two lightweight nuclei by an activity, the process is termed fission.
• Nuclear reactors are devices used to initiate and manage fission chain reactions or fusion reactions.
• Atomic energy is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity.