Nuclear

Fundamentals
Part I
Unleashing the
Power of the Atom

Objectives

Purpose/advantages of nuclear power

Atomic structure, notation, and
vocabulary
Mass-to-energy conversions (how to get
blood from a turnip)
Basics of nuclear fission
Controlling fission and nuclear reaction
rates

Introduction

Early/alternate naval boilers used oil, coal, or

wood -> nuclear fission is viable option
Advantages:

Long life of nuclear core

Unlimited endurance/range
No need for outside material (air)
Less logistical support
Carrier carries more weapons, aircraft, fuel

Basic Atomic Structure

Nucleus: the core of an atom

Proton:

Neutron:

positive (+) charge

primary identifier of an element
mass: 1.00728 amu
no charge
usually about the same number as protons
mass: 1.00866 amu

Electron: orbits about the nucleus

Negative (-) charge

Mass: 0.0005485 amu (over 1000s times smaller)
Help determine how element reacts chemically

Basic Atomic Structure

electron

neutron

proton

Atomic Structure

Isotopes: atoms which have the same atomic

number but a different atomic mass number (ie:
different number of neutrons)
Standard Notation: AZX
where:

X = element symbol (ie: H for hydrogen)

A = atomic mass number (ps and ns)
Z = atomic number (ps only)

Standard Notation &

the Periodic Table

238 U
92

-> U:
238:
92:
146

uranium
ps + ns
ps
ns

Mass to Energy

Remember conservation of mass & energy

Mass of an element/isotope is less than
individual masses of ps, ns, and es ->
difference is called mass defect
Einsteins Theory: E = mc2 or DE = Dmc2
Energy released if nucleus is formed from its
components is binding energy (due to mass defect)

Mass to Energy

Mass Defect = mass of reactants - mass of

products
Conversion to energy

1 amu = 931.48 MeV

Fission uses this principle -> large

isotopes break into pieces releasing
energy which can be harnessed

Fission

Defn: splitting of an atom

235 U is fuel for reactor
92

Relatively stable
Likely to absorb a neutron (large sa)
236 U fissions readily (large s )
92
f

Basic Fission Equation

1 n
0

+ 23592U

236 U
92

FF1 + FF2 + 2.43 10n + Energy

Basic Fission Equation

235 U
n
+
0
92

236

92U

FF1 + FF2 + 2.43 10n + Energy

Fission Fragments
1 n
0

236 U
+ 23592U
92
FF1 + FF2 + 2.43 10n +
Energy

Fission

Neutrons produced (2.43 avg.) will cause

other fissions -> chain reaction
Neutrons classified by energy levels

Fast ns: ns produced by fission (>0.1 MeV)

Thermal/slow ns: these cause fission (<0.1
eV)

So, if chain reaction is to be sustained, ns

must slow down to thermal energy levels

Neutron Interactions & Fission

Interaction described in terms of

probability (called microscopic cross section)
the larger the effective target area, the
greater the probability of interaction
measured in barns (10-24 cm)
Represented by s (single neutron
interacting with single nucleus)

Neutron Interactions & Fission

Scattering (ss)

Absorption (sa)

Neutron absorbed by nucleus

Fission (sf)

Elastic type collision w/ nucleus (thermalized)

IF absorbed, causes fission

Capture (sc)

IF absorbed, causes no fission

Neutron Life Cycle

235

92U

FISSION

Capture
Thermal
Absorption

FAST
ns

Thermal
Leakage

THERMAL
ns

Fast
Leakage
Fast
Absorption
THERMALIZATION

Condition of Reaction Rate

keff =

# of neutrons in a given generation

# of neutrons in preceding generation
Critical: fission rate just sustained by the
minimum number of thermal fissions (keff = 1)
Subcritical: fission rate is decreasing since not
enough thermal neutrons are produced to
maintain fission reactions (keff < 1)
Supercritical: fission rate increasing since more
than necessary thermal neutrons created (keff > 1)

Stability & Nuclear Force

As the number of particles w/in a nucleus

increases, the energy which binds nucleus
together becomes weaker -> unstable isotopes > more likely to give off particles
Elements undergo radioactive decay to try to
achieve stability
All isotopes w/ atomic number > 83 are
naturally radioactive

Radioactivity

Decay occurs in 3 modes:

Alpha (a)
Beta (b)
Gamma (g)

Alpha (a)

positively charged particle w/ 2 ps & 2 ns

usually emitted from heavy unstable nuclei
Virtually no threat: Easily absorbed by dead skin
layer
234 Th + 4 a
Ex: 23892U
90
2

Radioactivity

Beta (b)

negatively or positively charged particle

emitted from nucleus when n -> p or vice
versa
like an electron (p -> n) or positron (n -> p)
Minimal threat: can be absorbed by clothing
234 Pa + bEx: 23490Th
91

Radioactivity

Gamma (g)

electromagnetic wave of high freq/ high

energy
Not a particle: thus no charge
lowers energy level of parent nuclei (no
change in A or Z)
Potential threat to operators (must be
shielded)
60 Ni + 2g + bEx: 6027Co
28

Radioactivity

Half life : time required for 1/2 of any

given number of radioactive atoms to
disintegrate, thus reducing radiation
intensity by of initial radiation

Some short (msec), some long (billions of

years)
5 t1/2s to not be radioactive

Questions?