Nuclear Energy from Fission Today, nuclear power plants generate about 20 percent of the electricity in the United States. In a nuclear power plant, controlled fission of uranium-235 occurs in a vessel called a fission reactor.

Unlike power plants that burn fossil fuels, nuclear power plants do not emit air pollutants such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. However, nuclear power plants have their own safety and environmental issues. For example, workers in nuclear power plants need to wear protective clothing to reduce their exposure to nuclear radiation. In addition, the fission of uranium-235 produces many radioactive isotopes with half-lives of hundreds or thousands of years. This radioactive waste must be

SCIENCE and History

Nuclear Chemistry

Over the last 100 years scientists have uncovered many secrets about the atomic nucleus. Developments have ranged from the synthesis of new elements to the harnessing of nuclear power as a viable energy source.

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