Topic Summaries
Nuclear reactors
Energy and power
Renewable energy and efficiency
Charge, current, and electric fields
Potential difference and resistors
Electricity
Volume and gases
States of matter and heat capacity
Radiation
Nuclear fusion and fission
Forces
Velocity and acceleration
Gravity and Newton's Laws
Moments and elastic potential
Pressure
Stopping, braking, and momentum
Properties of waves
Electromagnetic waves
Refraction and lenses
Light, colour, and ray diagrams
Absorbing and emitting infrared radiation
Magnetic fields
Motor effect, generator effect, and transformers
Science skills: Experimental procedures
Science skills: Presenting and using data
Science skills: Measuring results
Energy and power
Renewable energy and efficiency
Charge, current, and electric fields
Potential difference and resistors
Electricity
Volume and gases
States of matter and heat capacity
Radiation
Nuclear fusion and fission
Forces
Velocity and acceleration
Gravity and Newton's Laws
Moments and elastic potential
Pressure
Stopping, braking, and momentum
Properties of waves
Electromagnetic waves
Refraction and lenses
Light, colour, and ray diagrams
Absorbing and emitting infrared radiation
Magnetic fields
Motor effect, generator effect, and transformers
Science skills: Experimental procedures
Science skills: Presenting and using data
Science skills: Measuring results
- A nuclear reactor harnesses the energy released by fission:
- Fuel rods of uranium-238 and uranium-235 are lowered into a reactor. Neutrons released from one rod cause a fission reaction of uranium-235 in another.
- Control rods made of boron absorb neutrons released during fission to control the rate of chain reactions. The further the rods are lowered the slower the rate will be.
- A thick concrete shield prevents neutrons and other radiation from escaping the reactor.
- Failing to control the chain reaction will cause energy to be released at an extremely fast rate. This is the principle used in a nuclear bomb.
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