May 19, 2025 · Nuclear reactors are the heart of a nuclear power plant. They contain and control nuclear chain reactions that produce heat through a physical process called fission.

A nuclear reactor is driven by the splitting of atoms, a process called fission, where a particle (a ‘neutron’) is fired at an atom, which then fissions into two smaller atoms and some additional neutrons.

A nuclear reactor is a device used to sustain a controlled fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for commercial electricity, marine propulsion, weapons production and research. Fissile nuclei …

Jul 4, 2025 · Nuclear reactors work by keeping up a controlled chain reaction. When a powerful atom, such as uranium-235, gets a neutron, it decays into small nuclei and produces heat plus more neutrons.

In this article, we'll explain how nuclear reactors work, what happens when they malfunction, and the risks they pose to our health and the environment compared to other energy sources.

Nuclear plants are different because they do not burn anything to create steam. Instead, they split uranium atoms in a process called fission. As a result, unlike other energy sources, nuclear power …

Nov 11, 2025 · How does a nuclear power plant work? Inside nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors and their equipment contain and control the chain reactions, most commonly fuelled by uranium-235, to …

Nuclear reactors produce heat by splitting atoms. This heat converts water into steam, which in turn turns a turbine that spins a magnet, causing electricity to flow to the grid.

The reactor's core contains fuel assemblies that are cooled by water circulated using electrically powered pumps. These pumps and other operating systems in the plant receive their power from the …

Inside a nuclear power plant is a nuclear reactor where heavy elements, like plutonium or uranium, fuel nuclear fission reactions. These elements are contained in fuel rods. The fuel rods, where the fission …