Question

Name the process used for producing electricity using nuclear energy.

Answer 1

Hint: We are asked to write the name of the process used for producing nuclear energy. To know about the process, you will need to recall the sources of nuclear energy and the process involved in it. From the sources of nuclear energy, recall which process leads to release of a large amount of energy.

Complete answer:
We are asked the name of the process used for producing electricity using nuclear energy.The process used for producing electricity using nuclear energy is nuclear fission.Let us know what nuclear fission is. Nuclear fission is a process in which a heavy nucleus of an atom splits into two or more lighter nuclei.

During this process a large amount of energy is released in the form of gamma photons. This heat energy is converted into electrical energy using a turbine generator. Therefore, using the process of nuclear fission, nuclear energy can be converted into electrical energy for producing electricity.

Note: At present, the majority of electricity production is done using nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium. Nuclear power is obtained from three processes, these are nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion. We have discussed nuclear fission in the above question. Nuclear decay is the process by which an unstable nucleus of an atom loses its energy through radiation and transforms into a daughter nucleus which is stable. There are three types of decays, alpha decay, beta decay and gamma decay. Nuclear fusion is the process in which two lighter nuclei combine to form a heavy nucleus.