How Does a Nuclear Reactor Work?

Morning Reactors!

You know nuclear power plants?

These scary things:

How do they… make energy?

Enter Albert Einstein… Smart German scientist dude.

Remember his famous equation?

Basically, it means: Energy = mass x the speed of light squared.

AKA lots of energy in not a lot of mass.

Ok… remember that. 

Now look at this nuclear reactor:

See those long, thin metal tubes inside the tank?

Yeah, they contain uranium, a rare metal that's absolutely PACKED with energy.

Ok now turn it on…

The first thing that happens is this:

A little neutron particle releases inside the chamber:

And it heads straight for one of the Uranium rods.

Eventually SMASHING into a Uranium atom…

Which splits it in two…

And releases 3 more neutrons and a GIANT BURST of energy!

Then those 3 neutrons go off, smash into more uranium atoms, releasing more neutrons and more energy… 

Again and again and again and again.

A chain reaction!

But here’s the problem…

This is SUPER dangerous because if it isn’t contained, you literally end up with a nuclear bomb.

ya… no bueno.

So scientists came up with some clever ways to make this a little safer.

First, they keep this reaction in water to slow the neutrons down a bit, making the chain reaction more manageable…

Next, they make sure the container used to store this reaction is made of 8-inch-thick steel.

And finally, they got these massive tower things called cooling towers just in case it gets too hot… you know… like a nuclear bomb.

Ok, but what happens to all that energy?

Well, the energy heats up water, turning it into steam.

That steam spins turbines, and voilà—electricity!

This is Einstein's equation in real life—turning matter into the energy that charges your phone, powers your Netflix binges, and yes, makes your toast.

Stay Cute,
Reece, Henry & Dylan 🌈

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