Unit 5 - Vocabulary of Nuclear Energy |
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| Alpha Particle (Ray) | a positively charged particle that is the nucleus of the helium atom; emitted during radioactive decay |
| Atom | the smallest unit possessing the properties of an element; all matter is composed of atoms |
| Background Radiation | radiation coming from naturally radioactive sources in the environment |
| Beta Particle (Ray | electron emitted during radioactive decay. Negatively charged. |
| Boiling Water Reactor | a nuclear reactor that uses water as a coolant and moderator; the steam produced can drive a steam turbine |
| Breeder Reactor | A nuclear reactor that produces as well as consumes fissionable material, especially one that produces more fissionable material than it consumes |
| Chain Reaction | In nuclear fission, a self-sustaining series reactions in which the release of neutrons from the splitting of one atom leads to the splitting of others |
| Containment | A structure or system designed to prevent the accidental release of radioactive materials from a reactor |
| Core | A reactor center |
| Fission | Splitting of one atom into two smaller atoms producing energy; undergone by Uranium-235 when bombarded with neutrons |
| Fuel Pellets | Small ceramic covered nuclear material, usually uranium dioxide, used in nuclear power plants. Most is the nonfissionable uranium-238 isotope, and about 3% is fissionable uranium-235. |
| Fuel Rod | A protective metal tube containing pellets of fuel for a nuclear reactor |
| Gamma Ray | High energy electromagnetic radiation emitted during radioactive decay and having an extremely short wavelength. Neutral particle. |
| Isotope | Atoms of the same element having the same atomic number but different mass numbers; therefore different number of neutrons |
| Meltdown | Severe overheating of a nuclear reactor core, resulting in melting of the core and escape of radiation |
| Millirem | One thousandth (10-3) of a rem, which is unit of measure of ionizing radiation |
| Neutron | Neutral particle present in nuclei of most atoms |
| Nuclear Energy | the energy released by a nuclear reaction |
| Plutonium | A naturally radioactive element, occurring in uranium ores and produced artificially by neutron bombardment of uranium. Its longest-lived isotope is Pu 244 with a half-life of 76 million years. Pu 239 is used as a reactor fuel and in nuclear weapons. |
| Pressurized Water Reactor | a nuclear reactor that uses water as a coolant and steam turbine; but has two water systems |
| Radiation | The particles and energy emitted from radioactive atoms |
| Radioactive Decay | Emission of alpha, beta, or gamma rays by unstable isotopes |
| Radioactivity | Spontaneous decay of unstable atomic nuclei accompanied by emission of ionizing radiation |
| Spent Fuel Reprocessing | To cause to undergo special or additional processing before reuse |
| Turbine | machine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy, caused by a rotating rotor |
| Uranium 235 | a uranium isotope with mass number 235; capable of sustaining chain reactions |