Nuclear Power

energy · atoms · electricity · science

Splitting atoms. Most nuclear power plants work by splitting uranium and plutonium atoms in a process called fission. When an atom splits, it releases huge amounts of heat that boil water into steam, which spins turbines to create electricity.

Powering space missions. Some spacecraft like Voyager 2 use a different nuclear process called decay to generate electricity. These special generators can work for decades in the cold darkness of space where solar panels wouldn't get enough sunlight.

Fusion dreams. Scientists have been experimenting with fusion, which is the opposite of fission: smashing atoms together instead of splitting them apart. Fusion is what powers the sun, but scientists haven't figured out how to make it produce more electricity than it uses.

Energy powerhouse. A single uranium pellet contains as much energy as a ton of coal, which is why nuclear power can generate enormous amounts of electricity from tiny amounts of fuel.