Nuclear Power in the Modern World
Uses of radioisotopes
Nuclear Power
Note: nuclear power works by radioactivity
“Radioisotopes are naturally occurring or synthetic radioactive form of an element. Most radioisotopes are made by bombarding a stable element with neutrons in the core of a nuclear reactor. The radiations given off by radioisotopes are easy to detect. Most natural isotopes of relative atomic mass less than 208 are not radioactive. Those from 210 and up are all radioactive.”(Radioisotope - Hutchinson Encyclopedia)
(Radioisotopes image) An example of such radioisotopes is uranium, which has been serving us for the past 50 years. Uranium is found in various parts of the world, this metal is used to produce about 11% of the world’s energy needs by different procedures. In 1956, the first large-scale nuclear power station started in England. Nuclear energy helped the world not just in power, but other aspects to do with nuclear too, some were medical uses and agriculture (Energy Resources: Nuclear power). The amount of energy released during each nuclear reaction is different, this is indicated in the formula below,
(Uranium) When radioisotopes are created, energy is released, allowing people to use it through various ways. Natural radioactive decay is a natural process, which an isotope spontaneously decays into another element through alpha, beta or gamma decay. In this process, four kinds of radioactive rays can be produced, alpha, beta, gamma, or neutron rays. Atoms that have a large nucleus tend to decay by alpha to reduce the size of their nucleus. When atoms have too many protons, extreme repulsion is caused and therefore a helium nucleus (also known as an alpha particle) is emitted, bumping with the walls of the nucleus. Beta decay is a high-energy electron that has lots of kinetic energy. This happens when the atom is unstable and the ratio of neutrons is that of when protons are high, and neutrons tend to turn into a proton and an electron. In the end comes
Nuclear Power
Note: nuclear power works by radioactivity
“Radioisotopes are naturally occurring or synthetic radioactive form of an element. Most radioisotopes are made by bombarding a stable element with neutrons in the core of a nuclear reactor. The radiations given off by radioisotopes are easy to detect. Most natural isotopes of relative atomic mass less than 208 are not radioactive. Those from 210 and up are all radioactive.”(Radioisotope - Hutchinson Encyclopedia)
(Radioisotopes image) An example of such radioisotopes is uranium, which has been serving us for the past 50 years. Uranium is found in various parts of the world, this metal is used to produce about 11% of the world’s energy needs by different procedures. In 1956, the first large-scale nuclear power station started in England. Nuclear energy helped the world not just in power, but other aspects to do with nuclear too, some were medical uses and agriculture (Energy Resources: Nuclear power). The amount of energy released during each nuclear reaction is different, this is indicated in the formula below,
(Uranium) When radioisotopes are created, energy is released, allowing people to use it through various ways. Natural radioactive decay is a natural process, which an isotope spontaneously decays into another element through alpha, beta or gamma decay. In this process, four kinds of radioactive rays can be produced, alpha, beta, gamma, or neutron rays. Atoms that have a large nucleus tend to decay by alpha to reduce the size of their nucleus. When atoms have too many protons, extreme repulsion is caused and therefore a helium nucleus (also known as an alpha particle) is emitted, bumping with the walls of the nucleus. Beta decay is a high-energy electron that has lots of kinetic energy. This happens when the atom is unstable and the ratio of neutrons is that of when protons are high, and neutrons tend to turn into a proton and an electron. In the end comes
Cited: “Abnormal whole body PET/CT scan with multiple metastases from a cancer”. Online image. Nuclear medicine sandbox. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. “NXR reactor”. Online image. Cobal-60 Therapy Unit. Canadian nuclear association. 30 Nov. 2009. "Radioisotopes - Modern Physics | TutorVista." Tutorvista.com - Online Tutoring, Homework Help for Math, Science, English from Best Online Tutor. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. "Radioisotope - Hutchinson Encyclopedia Article about Radioisotope." Hutchinson Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Mar. 2010.