Nuclear Energy Expo Nuclear Fission 1. What is nuclear fission? 2. How do we use fission to generate electricity? 3. Why is uranium a unique element? 4. Who were the major contributors to the discovery of fission and what impact did they have? 5. What special properties were found in uranium and how have they made a difference in our lives? 6. How did the discovery of nuclear fission impact history? 7. What is nuclear fusion? How is fusion different from fission?
Nuclear Fuel Cycle 1. How does the nuclear fuel cycle work? 2. What is the “front end” and “back end” of the cycle? 3. What potential problems might there be with the “back end”? 4. Why do we need to “enrich” the uranium? 5. Which do you think is better, the “open” or “closed” cycle? Why? 6. What is “yellowcake”?
Nuclear Power Plants and Reactors 1. What is the purpose of the nuclear reactor? 2. What are the two most common types of reactors used in nuclear power plants and how are they similar/ different? 3. Why is the PWR the most popular reactor in the world today? 4. What are the two methods of transferring waste heat to the environment? 5. What advantages and disadvantages do you see with either type of heat transfer?
Safeguards and Fuel Waste 1. What safeguards came out of the accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima? 2. How did the formation of the World Association of Nuclear Operators and the International Atomic Energy Agency improve nuclear power plant safety? 3. What is the role of the NRC in the United States? 4. What advantage do passive reactors have over evolutionary reactors? 5. What methods do we currently use to store used fuel? 6. What are the issues concerning the storage of spent nuclear fuel? 7. How can we reduce the risk of radon gas in our homes?
Nuclear Weapons and Proliferation 1. What is the purpose/job of the IAEA? 2. How have we used nuclear fission for peaceful technologies? 3. Why do countries believe that we need to revisit the issues concerning nuclear proliferation, even though nuclear bombs have not been used since WWII? 4. What are the problems with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)? 5. How do you think proliferation should be controlled? ©2019 The NEED Project
Energy From Uranium
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