NUCLEAR ENERGY PRESENTATION

Nuclear energy

In the Caribbean

Group Members: Abby-Ann Francis, Le-Anna Smith, Gabrielle Wilson, Antonio Barker & Romario Whittle

Start

1. What is Nuclear Energy?

index

6. 3 Advantages

7. 3 Disdavantages

2. Is it Renewable or Non-Renewable

8. 2 Important Facts

3.How is it produced and recovered?

9. (3) Review questions

4. Way(s) we turn it into energy we can use

5. Which country uses it and why?

Nuclear ENERGY

What is it?

WHAT IS NUCLEAR ENERGY?

Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Atoms are tiny units that make up all matter in the universe, and energy is what holds the nucleus together. There is a huge amount of energy in an atom's dense nucleus. In fact, the power that holds the nucleus together is officially called the "strong force." Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity, but it must first be released from the atom. In the process of nuclear fission, atoms are split to release that energy. A nuclear reactor, or power plant, is a series of machines that can control nuclear fission to produce electricity. The fuel that nuclear reactors use to produce nuclear fission is pellets of the element uranium. In a nuclear reactor, atoms of uranium are forced to break apart. As they split, the atoms release tiny particles called fission products. Fission products cause other uranium atoms to split, starting a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain reaction creates heat.

IS IT RENEWABLE OR NON-RENEWABLE?

Nuclear energy is usually considered another non-renewable energy source. Although nuclear energy itself is a renewable energy source, the material used in nuclear power plants is not. Nuclear energy harvests the powerful energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Nuclear energy is released through nuclear fission, the process where the nucleus of an atom splits. Nuclear power plants are complex machines that can control nuclear fission to produce electricity. The material most often used in nuclear power plants is the element uranium. Although uranium is found in rocks all over the world, nuclear power plants usually use a very rare type of uranium, U-235. Uranium is a non-renewable resource.

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE

How is it produced and recovered?

1st

Nuclear energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms-a process called fission

2nd

This generates heat to produce steam, which is used by a turbine generator to generate electricity.

3rd

Nuclear power plants use heat produced during nuclear fission to heat water.

4th

Estimated “energy recovery time" for a nuclear power plant is about 10 to 18 years, DEPENDING on the richness of uranium ores mined for fuel.

In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart to form smaller atoms, releasing energy.

TWO WAYS IT CAN BE PRODUCED

NUCLEAR FISSION

NUCLEAR FUSION

Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles (neutrons or protons). The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifested as either the release or absorption of energy.

Fission occurs when a neutron slams into a larger atom, forcing it to excite and split into two smaller atoms—also known as fission products. Additional neutrons are also released that can initiate a chain reaction. When each atom splits, a tremendous amount of energy is released.

vs

Ways we can turn nuclear energY into Energy we can use

Agriculture

Medical diagnosis and treatment

Used to create electricity

Used for space exploration

HOW SO?

Agriculture- To improve food safety and increase the shelf life of produce. Medical diagnosis and Treatment- Nuclear Medicine uses radioactive material inside the body to see how organs and tissus are functioning or to target and destroy damaged or diseased organs or tissue. Use to create Electricity- Nuclear plants heat water to produce steam. The steam is used to spin large turbines that generate electricity. Space Exploration -A great deal of what we know about deep space has been made possible by radioisotope power systems (RPs). These small nuclear power sources are used to power spaceships in the extreme environments of deep space. RPs are proven to be safe, reliabe, and maintenance-free for decades of space exploration, including missions to study Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Pluto.

WHICH CARIBBEAN COUNTRY USES IT AND WHY?

JAMAICA 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲

For the last four decades, Jamaica has been operating a nuclear reactor MAINLY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. The idea may come as startling to many Jamaicans who think the technology is unsafe based on history, the experts explain. But nuclear technology has seen much improvement, and while Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz confirmed the Government’s exploration of nuclear energy, it is a plan for the long-term solution to the island’s energy issues, he said. “Having ran a nuclear reactor here for the last 40 years safely and securely is the basic foundation for the step, I think, we can take and that is the introduction of nuclear power to Jamaica,” Vaz said last week. “The larger reactors that the industrial nations built were way too large for us; one single reactor could run most of the Caribbean.

ADVANTAGES

Low Carbon Emissions: Nuclear energy produces very little greenhouse gas emissions, making it a low-carbon source of electricity. High Power Output: Nuclear power plants can generate a lot of electricity from a single facility, making it a reliable and efficient source of energy. Energy Security: Nuclear energy can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and promote energy independence, especially in countries that lack access to other forms of energy.

DISADVANTAGES

High Initial Cost: Building a nuclear power plant is expensive, and requires a large up-front investment. Safety Concerns: Nuclear accidents can be catastrophic, and there is always the risk of radiation exposure to workers and nearby communities. Nuclear Waste Disposal: Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste that can remain dangerous for thousands of years, and the long-term storage and disposal of this waste is a major challenge.

Important Facts

Nuclear energy is extremely dense making the amount required to generate a large amount of energy vastly different from any other non-renewable energy source with any energy production difference being approximately 130 times better than wind energy in comparison. Nuclear energy has the least amount of environmental impact with waste produced being minimal with the added bonus that it doesn't contribute to air pollution and it only requires a small amount of land to build a nuclear plant which could produce enough energy to power 690,000 houses.

review qUestions

get THemm right!!!

1. WHAT IS THE RESOURCE IS NEEDED TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR ENERGY? 2. NAME ONE WAY NUCLEAR ENRGY CAN BE PRODUCED AND EXPLAIN THIS PROCESS. 3. STATE ONE ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY.

END OF PRESENTATION