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Genre：Video
Author：BrainPOP
Size：360KB
Date Published：November 20, 2001
Description:
Ka-Blam! What is nuclear energy? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will tell you how energy can be taken out of an atom’s nucleus to create nuclear energy. You’ll find about the process that splits atoms to create energy, and about which element power plants use to make fuel to power our homes. Discover the pros and cons of using nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. You’ll also learn how scientists are trying to harness safe and renewable energy from other sources. This is some powerful information!
Transcript:
Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby
Tim is shown building a model of an atom. Moby falls backward crushing the model. He hands a letter to Tim.
TIM: Aaah! Why do I bother?
Tim reads the letter.
TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, how do you make energy from an atom? From, Harry. Well, every atom has energy trapped in its nucleus. The trick is to find a safe way of getting it out. A process called nuclear fission splits the nuclei of atoms and releases energy.
An animation shows a sphere crashing into a cluster of spheres. The cluster explodes into individual spheres. Each of these spheres crashes into a different cluster resulting in more spheres. This reaction continues. On screen text reads: nuclear fission.
TIM: When it comes to nuclear fission, not just any type of atom will do.
An image shows Tim and Moby wearing radioactive suits.
TIM: Nuclear power plants like to use an element called uranium as fuel because its nucleus splits easily.
An image shows the periodic table of elements cell for uranium and a sphere of uranium. The periodic information reads as: Uranium, 92, U, 238.029.
TIM: Uranium ore is mined and placed in metal pipes called fuel rods. These rods are placed in tanks of water inside the nuclear reactor.
An animation shows four cylinders with rounded ends being lowered into water. On screen text reads: fuel rods.
MOBY: Beep?
TIM: Uranium atoms capture free-floating neutrons and then split into lighter elements and more free neutrons.
An animation shows a sphere crashing into a cluster of spheres. The cluster explodes into individual spheres. Each of these spheres crashes into a different cluster resulting in more spheres. This reaction continues.
TIM: This creates a controlled chain of reactions and generates a lot of heat!
An animation shows four cylinders with rounded ends submerged in water. One of them becomes enlarged and small explosions are seen inside. It then returns to its normal size. Tubes connect the pool of water containing the cylindrical figures to a separate pool of blue water.
TIM: That heat energy turns the water into steam. This steam turns the turbines of generators that produce electricity.
The water containing the cylindrical figures turns bright red. Arrows are shown traveling from the blue water into a tube. This tube leads to another pool of blue water. A turbine connected to a generator is shown submerged in this pool. The turbine is spinning.
An image shows a group of buildings at night.
MOBY: Beep?
TIM: Well, it's not that simple. Nuclear energy sounds like a great alternative to our fossil fuels that are running out.
The screen is divided into four equal sections. Three sections contain one image: a piece of coal, a puddle of oil, and a cloud of gas. In the fourth section, text reads: fossil fuel.
TIM: However, nuclear energy produces nuclear waste that is highly radioactive and can stick around for thousands of years.
An image shows three 50 gallon drums, each is labeled with the nuclear waste sign. On screen text reads: nuclear waste.
TIM: This radioactive waste is bad news for plants, animals and humans. Technological improvements may give us safer ways to use nuclear energy in the future.
MOBY: Beep.
TIM: Right! For instance, scientists are working on perfecting a method of nuclear fusion, the combining of atomic particles that would produce energy and harmless helium atoms. But they’re also hard at work figuring out ways to harness energy from safe and renewable sources of energy, like the sun!
An animation shows a large pipe. On one side of the pipe, a row of solar reflectors is shown. Arrows traveling from the sun are bouncing off the reflectors onto the large pipe.
TIM: What are you doing?
MOBY: Beep.
An animation shows Moby scraping a potato with a knife.
TIM: You can't split an atom like that. At least, I hope you can't.
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