Glossary
A
- alternative
- - a possible choice, different from the usual selection
- atoms
- - the smallest particle of any element that has all the properties of that element
B
- boiling-water nuclear reactor
- - a nuclear reactor in which water boils in the core to make steam
C
- carbon dioxide
- - a greenhouse gas that is released when oil, coal, natural gas, and biomass are burned
- chain reaction
- - process in which neutrons released in fission produce additional fission in other uranium atoms
- climate change
- - changes due to rising temperatures, such as changes in weather patterns, storm strength, melting polar ice, and rising sea levels
- containment vessels
- - large structures of steel-reinforced concrete that surround and protect the reactor
- contaminate
- - to make something polluted or impure
- control rods
- - rods that are inserted into or removed from the reactor core during the fission process to speed up or slow down the chain reaction
- controversial
- - causing much disagreement or debate
E
- electrons
- - particles moving around the nucleus of an atom that carry a negative charge
- element
- - a substance that cannot be chemically broken down and of which all matter is composed
- energy
- - the power for doing work
- environmental impact
- - negative effect on the environment
F
- fuel assembly
- - bundles of 100 to 200 fuel rods that are loaded in the reactor core
- fuel rods
- - long metal tubes that hold about 200 stacked uranium fuel pellets used in the nuclear fission reactor
G
- generators
- - machines that generates electrical current
- global warming
- - a planet-wide rise in temperature
- greenhouse gases
- - gases in the atmosphere that trap heat
N
- neutrons
- - particles within the nucleus of an atom that carry no charge
- nonrenewable
- - energy source that cannot be replenished in a short period of time (coal, oil, gas, uranium)
- nuclear fission
- - the process of splitting a large atom into two or more smaller atoms, releasing large amounts of energy
- nuclear fusion
- - the process of combining two atoms to form a new atom, releasing large amounts of energy
- nuclei
- - the plural of nucleus
- nucleus
- - the center core of an atom
P
- permanent
- - designed to last for a long time
- potential energy
- - stored energy; the capability to produce energy
- predictable
- - acts or occurs in an expected way
- pressurized-water nuclear reactor
- - a nuclear reactor in which water is kept under pressure in the reactor core so that the water can be heated to high temperatures without boiling
- pros and cons
- - good points and bad points; benefits and drawbacks
- protons
- - particles within the nucleus of an atom that carry a positive charge
R
- radiation
- - particles and electromagnetic waves emitted from the center of an atom during nuclear decay
- radioactive
- - capable of giving off hazardous radiation
- reactor
- - the part of a nuclear power plant where fission takes place
- reliable
- - dependable
- renewable
- - an energy resource that is replaced rapidly by natural processes (solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower)
T
- turbines
- - wheels with many blades that are spun and connected to a generator to make electricity
U
- uranium
- - a metallic, radioactive element found in rocks that is used as the fuel for nuclear power plants
