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[[Image:Energy.jpg|thumb|350px|left|a significant share of U.S. energy is nuclear]]

[[Image:Energy.jpg|thumb|350px|left|a significant share of U.S. energy is nuclear]]

==Theory==

==Theory==

The energy released from a nuclear fission device is given by the equation [[E=mc²]]. Spelled out, the energy of a physical system is equal to the system's mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. (In [[natural units]], the equation would be simplified to ''E''=''m''.)  This equation is the formula for the energy contained in an atom. This energy is released in a nuclear weapon when a speeding [[neutron]] collides with the atom, blasting it apart, and releasing the binding energy of the atom. In a nuclear weapon, the atom blasted apart then releases other neutrons which collide with other atoms. This keeps occurring until there are no atoms left to destroy. This is known as a nuclear chain reaction. In a nuclear fission power plant, however, the nuclear core is designed so that a runaway chain reaction cannot occur, by limiting the number of neutrons available to continue the reaction by the use of control rods<ref>http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/control.html</ref>.

The energy released from a nuclear fission device is given by the equation [[E=mc²]]. Spelled out, the energy of a physical system is equal to the system's mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. (In [[natural units]], the equation would be simplified to ''E''=''m''.)  This equation is the formula for the energy contained in an atom. This energy is released in a nuclear weapon when a speeding [[neutron]] collides with the atom, blasting it apart, and releasing the binding energy of the atom. In a nuclear weapon, the atom blasted apart then releases other neutrons which collide with other atoms. This keeps occurring until there are no atoms left to destroy. This is known as a nuclear chain reaction. In a nuclear fission power plant, however, the nuclear core is designed so that a runaway chain reaction cannot occur, by limiting the number of neutrons available to continue the reaction by the use of control rods.<ref>http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/control.html</ref>  

Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, is based on putting atoms together, as opposed to breaking them apart in fission, heavier atoms often require less bonding energy than the combined original binding energies of the fusing lighter atoms.

Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, is based on putting atoms together, as opposed to breaking them apart in fission, heavier atoms often require less bonding energy than the combined original binding energies of the fusing lighter atoms.

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[[category:Energy]]

[[Category:Energy]]

[[Category:Physics]]

[[Category:Physics]]