Abstract
The process of nuclear fission (‘splitting the atom’ or, more precisely, ‘splitting the atomic nucleus’) releases immense amounts of energy. Under controlled conditions within a nuclear reactor, this process can release one million times more energy per atom than any chemical reaction, including combustion. Furthermore, this occurs without many of the pollutants associated with combustion, e.g. oxides of nitrogen, sulphur and carbon. So it is hardly surprising that over the past 60 years considerable efforts have been made to harness this theoretically efficient use of the Earth’s energy resources.
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© 2007 Jonathan Scurlock
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Scurlock, J. (2007). Nuclear Energy: An Introductory Primer. In: Elliott, D. (eds) Nuclear or Not?. Energy, Climate and the Environment Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230279346_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230279346_2
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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