So I'm writing more for this, as much for myself as for my wonderful readers xx hope you enjoy x
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Katie xx
Zoe and Max lay in bed, it was early on a Monday morning and Max was still thinking about yesterday's chemistry lesson.
"Morning beautiful, how much do you know about nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?"
"Umm a bit."
"Well you might be surprised to know that is one thing I'm pretty knowledgeable in."
"Oh really, do you fancy being the teacher this morning."
"Okay then."
Max kissed Zoe and lent back on the pillow.
"So nuclear fission is the splitting up of uranium-235 atoms. This reaction releases a huge amount of energy. Nuclear fission can cause a chain reaction. A neutron is fired at a uranium-235 atom this causes it to become unstable and decay into two daughter nuclei and 2 or more neutrons which collied with other uranium-235 atoms causing them to decay causing a chain reaction."
Zoe carried on looking intently at Max.
"I never realised you knew so much."
"But rude may I continue."
"Please do."
"Nuclear fission can be used in nuclear power stations. A nuclear reactors use a controlled chain reactions, the heat energy produced is used to boil water to drive a steam turbine which turns the generator which produces electricity. The chain reaction is reactions must be carefully controlled. Uranium fuel rods are placed in a moderator (water) to slow down the fast-moving neutrons.
Control rods (boron) limit the rate of fission by absorbing excess neutrons. They are placed in between the fuel rods and are raised and lowered into the the reactor to control the chain reaction. If it is not controlled it could lead to an explosion."
Zoe smiled.
"Very interesting. So the fusion, we have only got an hour so you need to make this part quicker."
"Fine now shh."
"Nuclear fusion is the joining of small atomic nuclei. Two lighter nuclei collide at his speeds and very high temperatures. This releases a lot more energy than fission. It usually happens in stars and it doesn't leave behind a lot of radioactive waste but plenty of hydrogen gas to use as fuel. To allow for fusion to happen the nuclei have to over come the electrostatic forces of repulsion is protons. It is really hard to recreate the right conditions on earth making fusion reactors are very hard and expensive to build. The hot hydrogen gas has to be contained in a magnetic field. At the moment it takes more power to get a fusion reactor up to temperature than the reactor can produce."
Zoe kissed Max. Before getting out of bed.
"Thank you for the physics lesson, time for work now. We can share the rest of our knowledge to night."
"I for one have a lot more information started from where that came from."
"I'm sure you have but now get out of bed or we are gonna be late."
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