A COMPARISON OF NUCLEAR FISSION & FUSION FOR ENERGY SUPPLY

WHAT IS NUCLEAR FISSION AND FUSION?

• Both nuclear fission and fusion are processes which alters atoms and their properties to create energy

Nuclear fission is the division of an atom into two. The word ‘fission’ means a splitting or breaking up into parts.Nuclear fission releases heat energy when atoms split.

NUCLEAR FISSION

• Nuclear fission takes place when a large unstable isotope is bombarded by high-speed particles usually neutrons
• Neutrons accelerate and slam into the unstable isotope, causing it to fission or break into smaller particles
• This splits the target nucleus and breaks it down into two smaller isotopes (the fission products), three high-speed neutrons and a large amount of energy

Nuclear fusion is the merging of separate elements to form heavier nuclei, this results in the release of large amounts of energy.

NUCLAR FUSION

• Takes place when two low mass isotopes, typically hydrogen, unite under conditions of extreme pressure and temperature
• Along with this, an enormous amount of energy is released of which is several times that of nuclear fission

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS/ISOTOPES INVOLVED?

• The Sun is powered by nuclear fusion which involves the elements; Hydrogen (70%), Helium (28%), Carbon (1.5%), Nitrogen and Oxygen and 0.5% of “other”elements
• The chemical element isotopes that can sustain a fission chain reaction are called “nuclear fuels” and are said to be fissile. The most common are Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239

BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR FISSION & FUSION

• Both nuclear fission and fusion are processes which create energy. They are a more sustainable way of producing energy rather than burning fossil fuels. Less use of fossil fuels means a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, it would improve the quantity of the air affecting which overall affects the disease and quality of life.

DISADVANTAGES OF NUCLEAR FISSION & FUSION

• One of the largest disadvantages of nuclear fission and fusion is the risk it poses. Facing an unexpected event or accident could be disastrous and lead to consequences which are unknown and could be potentially fatal. Another disadvantage is the disposal of nuclear waste. It takes many years to eliminate its radioactivity and risks and if not handled properly, we face extreme repercussions. Nuclear power plants also have a limited life, therefore new ones will need to be built every so often. The cost of energy will be cheaper compared to that pf fuel, but the constant reconstruction of nuclear power plants is much more costly.

RELEVANT SCIENTISTS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS

• The discovery made that it was possible to make a nucleus divide was based off Albert Einstein’s prediction that mass could be changed into energy
• In 1940, Enrico Fermi built the first nuclear reactor
• Uranium was discovered by Martin Klaproth, a German scientist
• Nuclear fission was first carried out by New Zealander - Ernest Rutherford in the United Kingdom, Manchester, as he fired naturally occurring alpha particles into nitrogen gas (1918)

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REFERENCES

• Energy, D. (2018). Fission vs. Fusion – What’s the Difference?. [online] Duke Energy | Nuclear Information Center. Available at: https://nuclear.duke-energy.com/2013/01/30/fission-vs-fusion-whats-the-diff... [Accessed 8 Aug. 2018].
• Zafar, S. (2018). Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power. [online] Linkedin. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/advantages-disadvantages-nuclear-power-sulta... [Accessed 17 Aug. 2018].
• Science Learning Hub. (2008). Nuclear energy. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1581-nuclear-energy [Accessed 21 Aug. 2018].
• World-nuclear.org. (2018). History of Nuclear Energy - World Nuclear Association. [online] Available at: http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generat... [Accessed 20 Aug. 2018].