Nuclear Energy

M R . W A L K E R

P H Y S I C S L E S S O N S

C S E C
Nuclear Fission and Fusion
• There are two very different ways in which a nuclear process can release energy.

• Nuclear fission is the splitting of a large atomic nucleus into two nearly equal
parts, resulting in a large output of energy and a decrease in mass.

• Fission involves the splitting up of large nuclei such as uranium or plutonium

caused by neutron bombardment and the conversion of a very small amount of
mass into energy.
Nuclear Fission
• Most of the fission products are unstable and emit radiation.

• The disposal of these radioactive fission products as waste material from used
uranium fuel is the cause of some difficulty with nuclear power stations.

• Nuclear power plants produce electricity by nuclear fission in controlled

reactors. The ‘atomic bomb’ also utilizes nuclear fission.
Nuclear Fission e.g. Uranium-235
has the very rare property of splitting into two roughly equal halves when it
captures a neutron.
Nuclear Fission e.g. Uranium-235
Nuclear Fusion
• Fusion involves the building of larger nuclei from smaller ones.

• Nuclear fusion is the joining of two small atomic nuclei to produce a larger
nucleus, resulting in large output of energy and a decrease in mass.
Nuclear Fusion
• Nuclear fusion is the process by which radiant energy is produced by the SUN –
in the core of the sun, energy is generated by two hydrogen nuclei joining to
form a single Helium atom.

• The hydrogen bomb is also made in the same way.

N.B

These reactions require temperatures in excess of 108 𝐾 to allow positive

hydrogen nuclei to travel fast enough to overcome the very strong repulsive
forces that exists between them. The difficulty of maintaining these high
temperatures is the very reason why nuclear fusion is not used for nuclear energy.
Nuclear Fusion
 Einstein’s Equation of Mass-Energy
Equivalence
• When nuclei undergo fission or fusion, the resulting nuclei are, as in radioactive
decay, more stable, and energy is subsequently released.

• The energy output by a nucleus during radioactivity, nuclear fission and or

during nuclear fusion is obtained by a reduction in mass.

• The mass defect is directly related to the energy output.

 Homework
• The table shows the masses of a proton, a neutron and a helium nucleus.
Calculate the energy produced when 2 protons and 2 neutrons come together
to form a helium nucleus.
Masses of particles (kg)

Proton 1.6726 × 10−27

Neutron 1.6749 × 10−27

Helium nucleus 6.6463 × 10−27