Nuclear Fission and Control Rods in a Reactor
Controlling the chain reaction to extract heat
0:56 · 720p · With AI narration and captions. This sample was made with the same system as this service.
Narration (full text)
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Fission and Control Rods
Let's look at how fission is controlled in a nuclear reactor.
Nuclear Fission
When a uranium-235 nucleus absorbs a neutron, it undergoes fission and splits in two, releasing a lot of heat and 2 or 3 neutrons.
Chain Reaction
When those neutrons hit the next nuclei, fission happens again. This is a chain reaction.
Fuel Rods and Water
The water around the fuel rods slows the neutrons down, making fission more likely, and carries away the heat.
Adjusting with Control Rods
Control rods made of materials like boron absorb neutrons. Moving them in and out keeps each fission leading to just 1 more, on average.
Insert All Rods to Stop
When all the control rods are inserted, the chain reaction stops.
Heat to Electricity
This heat makes steam, which spins a turbine and generator to produce electricity.
Regulating the Chain Reaction
Control rods adjust the number of neutrons, so heat can be extracted steadily.
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