Nuclear Power I.

Nuclear Energy I.

Basic Physics

• Energy and Mass are equivalent and are related to one another by the speed of light squared

  

• Since c is a large number then c squared is even larger

• Example:

1 kg of coal = 30 million Joules when burned using chemistry
but: 1 kg of coal potentially gives you 3 billion times more energy if you convert all of its mass to energy

Potential Realized in the Atom Bomb

Atomic Structure

But this model can't be correct because ...

Max Planck made a wild assumption that energy, at the sub-atomic level, can only be transfered in small units, called quanta.

The dark and light regions are called interference fringes, the constructive and destructive interference of light waves. So light acts like a wave but its energy is in the form of quanta (photons) which was proven in the Photoelectric effect (see last lecture).

The Quantized Model of the Atom (the Bohr Model):

• Electrons in Fuzzy Orbits about a Nucleus
  
• Nucleus is home of protons and neutrons bound together by the Strong Force: ratio of strong force to gravity is 10³⁶ !

• Free Neutrons decays into protons and electrons; Existence of atomic nuclei prevent this decay
  

Rules of Atomic Decay:

• conservation of charge: C (-1,0,+1)
• conservation of baryon number: BN (-1,0,+1)
• conservation of lepton number: LN (-1,0,+1)

baryons = heavy particles made of quarks (protons, neutrons)

• proton = uud; neutron = udd
• there are six quarks: top,down,bottom,up,strange,charmed

  leptons are not made of quarks (electrons, neutrinos)

In order to satisfy the above rules a free neutron must decay as follows:
neutron proton + electron + anti-neutrino
(half-life ~ 15 minutes)

• neutron: C = 0; BN = +1; LN = 0
• proton: C = +1; BN = +1; LN = 0
• electron C = -1; BN = 0; LN = +1
• anti-neutrino: C = 0: BN = 0; LN = -1
• Total Sums: C = 0; BN =+1; LN = 0

This is called beta decay so its really decay by emitting an electron

Nuclear Fission and Energy:

1950's optimism:

The 1950's are a landmark decade because they shaped 3 aspects of American life that would dominate out socio-political culture:

• The first information network was launched. This was Television which has evolved to be a ubiquitous access, content-free medium. (will the Internet evolve in a similar manner?)

• Suburbia: Suburban infrastructure and commuter highways began to take shape. Life in Suburbia was the American Dream. Increased dependends on foreign oil, via automobile transport of workers and increased air pollution is the result.

• The Cold War: Funding for basic research for technological competiveness against the Evil Empire was abundant. Most research Universities were allowed to significantly expand their science departments. Now, this has all crumbled as has funding for basic research

Arco Idaho in 1947 became the first place in the US to be powered by a nuclear reactor.

1970's: By the year 2000, 50% of US energy comes from fossil fuels and 50% from nuclear fission

Initial Trends in 60's suggested this would be fulfilled
Very rapid rise from 1964--1974 then much shallower increase to 1990

1990: 22% of domestic US electricity generation comes from nuclear fission France is at 75% and exports some!

What prevented the year 2000 goal from being reached? Several factors are at work:

• poor engineering, politics, pyschology, Three Mile Island
• Perceived Safety Hazard has replaced Reality --> Trojan Closure
• Up Front Costs became very high (WPPS!)
• Concern over Atomic Waste Disposal --> Hanford
• Concern over Environmental Pollution --> Hanford Downwinders