The Connections

Nuclear Power Nuclear Weapons

Two Connections between Nuclear Power and Nuclear Weapons : Enrichment and Plutonium The input connection Into the reactor: fuel “enrichment”

The output connection Out of the reactor: plutonium

Look for Enrichment Plant and Plutonium

the input connection

“enrichment”

Not much U235 in the ground. U235 is less than 1% of natural uranium! Wait! What is the difference between U238 and U235?

What is the difference between U238 and U235? One little difference 3 neutrons 3 teeny, tiny, neutrons

And a

big

difference

U235 explodes!

Mined uranium is 0.711% U235, which is less than 1% U235

Not enough to explode

Quick Quiz

Which explodes?

(a) U238

(b) U235

How much U235 is in mined uranium? (a) 711% (b) 7.11% © 0.711% Can mined uranium explode? (a) no

(b) yes

0.711% U235 will not explode

In fact, 0.711% U235 won’t even sustain a fission chain reaction making heat to turn water to steam and rotate a turbine to make electricity in an ordinary nuclear reactor.

“Enrichment”

Not about money, but about getting more U235 atoms in the uranium mix to sustain fission.

Enrichment: What countries enrich uranium for reactor fuel? • • • • • •

Argentina Brazil China France Germany India

• • • • • • •

Iran Japan Netherlands Pakistan Russia UK US

Enrichment: but, how much? • LEU

Low Enriched Uranium Reactor fuel not much U235 can’t explode

•HEU Highly Enriched Uranium explodes! weapons usable!

HHEU on Hiroshima HEU weapons have a simple design. The HEU weapon dropped on Hiroshima had never been tested.

Still awake? Little Quiz to test your powers of attention

Which is the heavier isotope? (a) U235 Which is useful for a bomb? (a) U235

(b) U238 (b) U238

Enrichment is very hard

Countries need to learn how to do enrichment. Countries need to practice enrichment.

Current Events Quiz

The world is worried that Iran will enrich their uranium to which level? (a) LEU (b) HEU The Iranians say that they will enrich their uranium to which level? (a) LEU (b) HEU

Reactor Fuel or Bombs?

Iran is currently a member of the Nonproliferation Treaty so their enrichment facilities are watched by international inspectors from the IAEA. They can’t secretly enrich to HEU without getting rid of the inspectors or WITHDRAWING FROM THE TREATY!

the input

Connection

between nuclear power and nuclear weapons is Enrichment

Enrichment technology can produce reactor fuel or nuclear weapons explosives.

the output

Connection

between nuclear power and nuclear weapons When the chain reaction inside the reactor wears out, the old LEU fuel is removed as waste and replaced with fresh fuel. The now highly radioactive used fuel is called spent fuel. Some of the uranium in the fuel has been changed to Plutonium during the chain reaction that produced the heat to boil the water and make electricity.

Plutonium • Doesn’t occur in nature. • Human-made in nuclear reactors. • Good for nuclear weapons

Explodes! Nagasaki, Japan

Quiz on the Connections between nuclear power and nuclear weapons

Which is the input connection? (a) enrichment (b) plutonium

Which is the output connection? (a) enrichment (b) plutonium

The problem with nuclear weapons is that they can end civilization. No fast food, no pizza, no food. No apps, no cell phones, no internet, no gas for your car, no iPods, no HDTV, no tv, no electricity, no hair dryers, no music, no life. Destruction, darkness, death. The most awful reality.

Nuclear War

is preventable

Nuclear Power is • • • •

Unnecessary Expensive Dangerous Producer of radioactive waste that will be dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years • Always connected to nuclear weapons in two ways!

the sun the wind Can provide sufficient energy for the planet!

the land

the waters

International Atomic Energy Agency

Part of the UN Promotes Nuclear Power Internationally

When the IAEA was formed in 1957, nuclear power seemed as if it would be a good way to create electricity. Now renewable energies are cheaper than nuclear power, safer than nuclear power, and more egalitarian than nuclear power. Nuclear power is obsolete. Renewable energies are peaceful and nuclear power is always connected to nuclear weapons in two ways. The IAEA should not be promoting nuclear power.