How nuclear power works
Welcome! I'm excited to dive into this with you. Before we start exploring the amazing physics of splitting atoms, I'd love to know a bit about what you already know or what has you curious.
I'm completely new to this and just want a simple, step-by-step overview.
It's wonderful to have you here! Since you are completely new to this, we will take it one clear step at a time.
Your path
From Reactor to Electricity
What is an Atom?
To understand how we get power from the heart of matter, we have to start incredibly small. Everything around you—your screen, the air you breathe, and even your own body—is made of tiny building blocks called atoms.
A simplified model of a Lithium-7 atom, showing a dense, clustered nucleus of protons and neutrons circled by three electrons on elliptical paths.
Think of an atom like a microscopic solar system. At the very center lies the , which is a tightly packed cluster of even smaller particles called protons and neutrons. Orbiting this center, like planets around a sun, are tiny, negatively charged electrons.
The secret to nuclear power lies entirely within that central core. The physical