2. 1
Atomic Mass Unit
2
Nuclear Fission
3
Nuclear Fusion
4
Energy in Nuclear Reaction
5
6
Electricity Generation from
Chain Reaction
Nuclear Power Plant Utilisation

4. 
a.m.u is usually used to quantify the mass of
subatomic particles like protons, neutrons and
electrons.

1 a.m.u is equal to 1/12 of the mass of carbon-12 atom.

a.m.u can also be written as u.


1u
= 1/12 x mass of one carbon-12 atom
= 1/12 x 1.99265 x 10-26 kg
= 1.66 x 10-27 kg
Useful in computation of energy released in nuclear
reaction.

6. Splitting of a
heavy nucleus
into two lighter
nuclei
neutron
fission
product
neutron
neutron
target
nucleus
fission
product
neutron

7. Release
enormous
amount of
energy
A few hundred million
times the energy released in
an equivalent chemical
reaction.

kinetic
fragments


8. n
n
n
n
n
n
n

10. Combining of
two lighter
nuclei to form
a heavier
nucleus
Initially, under
an applied force,
2 lighter nuclei fuse
together to form a
heavier nucleus
and energy.

At a critical
level, the energy
released can self
sustain the fusion
reaction.
Deuterium
Helium

Energy
Tritium
Neutron

11. Energy released in
nuclear fusion is very
much more than in
nuclear fission
Appear as kinetic
energy of heavier nucleus
and energy of neutron,
proton or gamma rays


13. 4g
10 g
ENERGY
5.9999 g

14. 
Mass and energy are not
conserved separately.

The total “mass-energy”
before and after the
exchange is conserved.

They can be exchanged
from one form to the
other.

15. loss of mass
or mass
defect (kg)
energy
released (J)
E=
2
mc
speed of light
= 3.00 x 108 ms-1

16. Example
226
Ra
88
226
Ra = 226.025406 u,
88
222
4
Rn + He
86
2
222
Rn = 222.017574 u,
86
4
He = 4.002603 u,
1 u =1.66 x 10-27 kg
2
c = 3.00 x 108 ms-1
Mass defect, m = 226.025406 u – (222.017574 u + 4.002603 u)
= 0.005229 u
= 0.005229 x 1.66 x 10-27 kg
= 8.68 x 10-30 kg
Therefore, energy released, E = mc2
= 8.68 x 10-30 x (3.00 x 108)2
= 7.81 x 10-13 J

18. Trigger chain reaction
Release enormous energy
Energy conversion in reactor
Electricity generation

19. Generation III
reactors
Water reactors
Boiling water
reactors
 Gas-cooled
reactors
 Pressurised water
reactors
 Pressurised heavywater reactors

Light water
reactors
 Heavy water
reactors
 High temperature
gas-cooled
reactors
 Fast neutron
reactors


20. Boiling water reactor

21. Pressurised water reactor

22. Pressurised Heavy-Water Reactor

23. Light-water graphite-moderated reactor

24. Liquid-Metal-Cooled Fast-Breeder Reactor (LMFBR)

25. Heavy Water Reactor

26. High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors

27. Fast neutron reactor

29. absorb
neutrons.
Reduce
rate of
fission
reaction
GCR:
Function
moderator
slow down
neutrons
produced
by fission
nuclei split
by
neutrons,
releasing
large
amount of
energy
Prevent
radiation
leakage from
reactor core
rotated by
flow of
steam under
high
pressure
coils rotated by
turbines. Electricity
generated by
electromagnetic
induction
Boil
water
into
steam

30. Layout of GCR

31. GCR: Process flow
Gas passing
through the
reactor core is
heated up
Fission of
uranium-235
nuclei produces
energy in the
form of heat
Cold gas goes back to
the reactor core to be
heated again
Heat energy from
the hot gas boils
the water into
steam
Flow of
steam drives
the turbines
Steam condenses
back to water
Turbines turn
the coils in
the
generator to
produce
electricity

32. Energy conversions in GCR
Heat energy
carried by
the hot gas
Nuclear
energy
from fission
Kinetic
energy of
the steam
Kinetic
energy of the
turbines
Electrical
energy

34. 
More than 400 nuclear power stations,
producing 17% of the world’s electricity

East & South Asia, more than 100 nuclear
power reactors in operation
29%
38%

35. Advantages
 Minimal
carbon
dioxide emission
 More stable
price compared
to fossil fuel
 Need less fuel
Disadvantages
 Exposure
to
excessive
radiation
 Expensive
 Misused as
weapons of mass
destruction