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What is nuclear energy? Nuclear energy is the internal energy in the atomic
nucleus, that is, the central part of an atom. Atoms are the smallest particles in
which a material can be divided. The nucleus of an atom is composed of two
subparticles: neutrons and protons. These subparticles are held together due to
energy links. At the moment in which these bonds are modified, a large amount
of thermal energy is released in the form of heat.
Nuclear technology deals with the use of this internal energy for a wide variety of
applications. The most well-known application of nuclear energy is the generation
of electric power in nuclear power plants.
Nuclear power plants are installations where heat is obtained causing nuclear
reactions in the nuclear reactor with which later, through thermodynamic and
mechanical transformations, electric power will be obtained.
In order to take advantage of the nuclear energy present in the nucleus of atoms,
it can be done in two ways: splitting the nucleus of an atom or fusing the nucleus
of two atoms. In the first case we call it nuclear fission and in the second nuclear
fusion.
When one of these two physical reactions occurs ( nuclear fission or nuclear
fusion) the atoms experience a slight loss of mass. This mass that is lost becomes
a large amount of heat energy as Albert Einstein discovered with his famous
equation E = mc2.
What is nuclear fission?
After knowing what is nuclear energy we can make us a more especific question:
what is nuclear fission? Nuclear fission is the division of the nucleus of
an atom into different smaller particles. This type of reactions generates a large
amount of heat energy that can later be used in different ways.
One of the important characteristics of nuclear fission is that it is generated by
bombarding an unstable atom with a neutron. Once the nucleus has been fissured,
in addition to particles one or two more neutrons remain free that can collide with
another atom and generate more chain fissions.
Currently, nuclear fission is the type of nuclear reaction that is used in all types
of nuclear power reactors.