Nuclear Energy :: essays research papers

Nuclear Energy During the twentieth century scientists have discovered how to unleash the most powerful energy of all; Nuclear energy. The study of nuclear energy began for the same reasons that most scientific studies are begun; to understand more about the universe and the laws by which the universe works. The more knowledge we have about the universe, the more we can control the world in which we live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nuclear energy is contained in the center, or nucleus of an atom. This energy is also known as atomic energy because its obtained from atoms, unfortunately this is not a good choice of words (because many other energies are obtained from atoms). An atomic bomb explosion shows just how powerful muclear energy really is. Such as the underwater explosion of an atomic bomb at Bikini during 1946. This powerful type of energy comes from many things such as atoms and subatomic particles; an atom is a tiny bit of matter that has very little weight. They are much too light to be weighed directly, but scientists have developed methods of determining these tiny weightd by using special labratory instruments. Hydrogen is the lightest of all atoms and carbon atoms weigh twelve times more than the hydrogen atom. Atoms that make up one alement are not like atoms that make up another element.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These (atoms) are not simple particles, their structure is very complexe. They are, in fact, made up of smaller bits of matter called subatomic particles. An atom has two parts. Those two parts are; 1)at the center is a nucleus, a densely packed core composed of two kinds of paticles: protons and neutrons and 2)electrons. The charge in a nucleus of an atom is carried by a particle called a proton, the number of protons in an atom's nucleus is calle the atomic number of the atom. Atomic numbers are always whole numbers such as +92. Each atomic number is always a whole number, and each chemical element has its own atomic number. Protons have a positive electrical charge, yet electrons have a negative charge and since opposite charges attract, it keeps them in their orbits around the nucleus. Neutrons are neutral and weigh a bit more than protons. The breaking apart or joining together of atomic nuclei is called a nuclear reaction. A tramendous amount of energy may be released by a nuclear reaction. Nuclear energy is housed in a nuclear reactor. There are many types of nuclear reactors such as a pressurized water reactor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no specific place where nuclear nergy may be found, neither is there a special geographical place a nuclear power plant must be located.