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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Basics of Nuclear Fission

When I think about a power plant I usually think of the end result. I wouldn't even know how to begin to describe what the process actually entails. So, I thought it might be interesting for others as well who are a bit clueless on what nuclear fission actually is. The web site attached below has many topics ranging from the description of single atoms to the basics of nuclear fission and how reactions work. I found it to be most interesting and informative. When trying to improve or change a current habit or action it is best to completely understand what your trying to change in the first place. How can you solve or improve a problem if you don't understand how it works.

One section which I thought was very interesting was called New Nuclear Power Tecnologies. It lists two different approaches to nuclear power. One was reprocessing, which turns out to be a double edge sword. Basically through another reaction we can reuse some parts of the nuclear waste which you would think would be good but the reprocessed fuel is even more dangerous and actually easier to use in the creation of a nuclear weapon.  The second approach is called high temperature breeder reactors. This creates a non-weapon grade fuel which can not be used to make bombs. It said this type of recator was currently being developed and could possible be the furture of nuclear power.

Well, the site definitely provides a good first step at understanding the inter-workings of what nuclear power is for anyone wanting to understand that process. Like I said earlier as well it has many different section all with very relevant and interesting information.  

http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/fission/fission.html

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