nuclear reactor. Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times. This energy is made into electricity, which then can be used to power machines and heat homes. Power, especially electricity, the source of which is nuclear fission. The benefits of applying nuclear power to these needs are substantial, but they are tempered by a number of issues that need to be considered, including the safety of nuclear reactors, their cost, the disposal of radioactive waste, and a potential for the nuclear fuel cycle to be diverted to the development of nuclear weapons. Nuclear power, electricity generated by power plants that derive their heat from fission in a nuclear reactor. This trend appears likely to continue well into the 21st century. Nuclear power is a clean and efficient way of boiling water to make steam, which turns turbines to produce electricity. Nuclear energy provides power 24/7 without a trace of those pollutants. Nuclear power is generated by splitting atoms to release the energy held at the core, or nucleus, of those atoms. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! The early period of the nuclear power industry was dominated by North America (the United States and Canada), but in the 1980s that lead was overtaken by Europe. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021. One method of releasing nuclear energy is by controlled nuclear fission, used in nuclear power plants around the world. nuclear: [adjective] of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus. Nuclear energy is energy in 'fissionable' elements like uranium that can be released by nuclear reactions in a machine called a nuclear reactor. Active and passive safety systems are incorporated into the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) as well. The dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, by the United States in 1945 initiated the atomic age. A nuclear power plant (nuclear power station) looks like a standard thermal power station with one exception.The heat source in the nuclear power plant is a nuclear reactor.As is typical in all conventional thermal power stations the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity. Countries may have a number of motives for deploying nuclear power plants, including a lack of indigenous energy resources, a desire for energy independence, and a goal to limit greenhouse gas emissions by using a carbon-free source of electricity. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It is s generic designation including BWR and PWR types. The Energy Information Administration (EIA), a statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, has projected that world electricity generation between 2005 and 2035 will roughly double (from more than 15,000 terawatt-hours to 35,000 terawatt-hours) and that generation from all energy sources except petroleum will continue to grow. The energy that holds together the nucleus of an atom is called nuclear, or atomic, energy. The predominant types of power reactors are pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs), both of which are categorized as light water reactors (LWRs) because they use ordinary (light) water as a moderator and coolant. Nuclear Power A form of energy produced by an atomic reaction, capable of producing an alternative source of electrical power to that supplied by coal, gas, or oil. nuclear power The electrical power generated by a nuclear reactor . This process, nuclear fission, generates heat that is directed to a … Except for the reactor, which plays the role of a boiler in a fossil-fuel power plant, a nuclear power plant is similar to a large coal-fired power plant, with pumps, valves, steam generators, turbines, electric generators, condensers, and associated equipment. The United States has the largest nuclear power industry, with more than 100 reactors; it is followed by France, which has more than 50. 2. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. The nuclear reactor is responsible for generating fission chain reactions. Of the top 15 electricity-producing countries in the world, all but two, Italy and Australia, utilize nuclear power to generate some of their electricity. These prototypes provided “proof-of-concept” and laid the groundwork for the development of the higher-power reactors that followed. Another method, controlled nuclear … What made you want to look up nuclear power? B2. Learn about the use of nuclear power in Finland. The lessons learned from that disaster included the need to (1) adopt risk-informed regulation, (2) strengthen management systems so that decisions made in the event of a severe accident are based on safety and not cost or political repercussions, (3) periodically assess new information on risks posed by natural hazards such as earthquakes and associated tsunamis, and (4) take steps to mitigate the possible consequences of a station blackout. In 2011 nuclear power provided 10% of the world’s electricity. Nuclear boosts international development. A nuclear power plant is a type of power station that generates electricity using heat from nuclear reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium. Availability of cheap and reliable nuclear power may stifle use of other forms of power, particularly if it is perceived as less polluting. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. It is used to create electricity for many households across the world, and can even be used to create bombs! This site focuses on nuclear power plants and nuclear energy. Nuclear power is power released in nuclear reactions that can be converted to electric power. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'. Omissions? Nuclear power, electricity generated by power plants that derive their heat from fission in a nuclear reactor. Generating el… In a nuclear power plant, energy is generated from the splitting of the nuclei of uranium atoms. electrical or motive, produced by a nuclear reactor, (Also called) atomic power. A nuclear power plant is a facility for obtaining electrical energy using nuclear energy. For instance, in the Westinghouse AP1000 design, residual heat would be removed from the reactor by water circulating under the influence of gravity from reservoirs located inside the reactor’s containment structure. Nuclear power plant An electrical generating facility using a nuclear reactoras its heat source to provide steam to a turbine generator. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Nuclear power definition is - energy that is created by splitting apart the nuclei of atoms. Availability of cheap and reliable nuclear power may stifle use of other forms of power, particularly if … Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat, which most frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power plant. LWRs make up more than 80 percent of the world’s nuclear reactors, and more than three-quarters of the LWRs are PWRs. Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear energy, energy that is released in significant amounts in processes that affect atomic nuclei, the dense cores of atoms. The four reactors involved in the Fukushima accident were first-generation BWRs designed in the 1960s. Thorium could power the next generation of nuclear reactors What the end of the atomic renaissance means for nuclear power Fukushima accident gave everyone an X-ray’s worth of radiation a nuclear power plant. 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