How Do They Make Nuclear Energy?

When you say nuclear energy, many people have some interesting ideas about how it works. Some people think you can just put wires into the fuel and get electricity. Others think it’s like magic. Some have no idea at all how it works. So today I’m going to try to simplify the process for you.

 Except for solar and bioluminescence, power plants uses turning magnets and coils of wire to create an electrical current. Wind power and Hydroelectric (water) plants use motion to move the magnets and coils. For everything else we use steam. Normally we just burn something to heat up water. The water turns to steam and expands. This turns a set of blades called turbine blades. The blades are connected to a shaft that turns the magnetic coils inside a machine called an alternator or generator. This produces the  electricity we use every day. We can burn oil, gas, coal, wood, or even trash. Geothermal power uses steam from the hot areas inside the crust of the Earth to run a turbine but we don’t have to burn anything.

For nuclear power, the heat source is made from an element called uranium. The fuel is made into pellets or rods, usually made of uranium oxide. The uranium atoms naturally fall apart in a process called fission (think division) and create a lot of heat. This heat finally gets transferred to water and creates lots of steam. The steam is what turns the turbine generator. The power plants have tall things that look like smoke stacks that are used to cool the water down before it leaves the plant. The white “smoke” is really just water vapor called steam. Because they use so much water, many nuclear power plants are built by rivers or by the ocean.

Nuclear power plants can run for many years using a small amount of fuel. The tough part is what to do with the fuel rods when they wear out. They are still radioactive (giving off lots of radiation) and can be very dangerous. Usually, the old fuel rods are sealed in watertight, very strong containers and taken to a special place to be buried.

Nuclear reactors are also used in aircraft carriers, submarines, and even satellites. They allow the ships, subs, or satellites to run for a long time without refueling. Here is a picture of a typical nuclear reactor.

 

I hope you learned something today. See you next time!

Love, Papaw.

What Do You Mean Radiation?!

 

When you hear the word radiation, what comes to mind? Does it sound scary? What is it anyway? Are there different kinds? Is it safe or dangerous? There are so many questions we could ask. Today I want to help you understand what radiation is, what it’s used for, and whether or not it is safe to be around.

Basically, there are two kinds of radiation: non-ionizing and ionizing. There are some who put sound waves as a third kind, also called acoustic radiation, but it needs a medium (something to move through) like solids, water, or air, to move through, so I will talk about it another day.

Non-ionizing radiation is a low energy radiation that can move atoms and molecules but not break the bonds between them. We see and use it every day. Visible light, infrared heat, radio waves, and microwaves are common examples. There are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We can use light waves (the Sun), or heat waves to keep us warm. Microwaves help us cook things quickly. They cause the molecules to speed up, giving them heat energy. The thing to remember is that none of these make something radioactive. There is nothing dangerous left over when they are used. You could even use the Sun’s radiation to grow a plant or get a sun tan. We couldn’t live without it.

Ionizing Radiation has so much energy that it can break atoms apart. These include x-rays, gamma rays and alpha and Beta particles. There are many good uses for these as long as we are careful. X-rays (they use a very low setting) can help us see a broken bone inside our body. It can be used to sterilize equipment. I can kill cancer that cannot be reached with surgery. I is also used to create electricity. Aircraft carriers and submarines now have nuclear reactors that heat up water into steam to run turbine generators and make lots of electricity. Ionizing radiation can be very dangerous if not used properly. That’s why you need to be very careful and pay attention to warning signs. If you see this symbol, make sure and ask an adult if the area is safe. 

 Well that’s all for today. In another post I may explain how we use nuclear fuel to make energy!

Love Papaw.

Leprechauns!

I know many of you like to have an “Elf on the Shelf” at Christmas time. Have you ever heard of a leprechaun? They are kind of like elves, only Irish. Since March 17^th is St Patrick’s Day this year, I thought you might like to hear some “facts" about leprechauns.

Leprechaun actually means “small body" in Gaelic (one of the Irish first languages). I know the picture has one dressed all in green, but traditionally, they are described as wearing red jackets with seven buttons, and a top hat. They are described as being 1-2 feet tall with reddish beards. They are said to hid pots of gold at the end of rainbows. They are shoemakers by trade. Legend says that if you catch one, especially by the beard, they will grant you three wishes. But beware, since they are considered fairies, they are tricksters, and are known to vanish away immediately if you look away for even a second!

One of the reasons people wear green on St Patrick’s Day is that it is said to make a person invisible to leprechauns so they won’t pull a trick on you. They also like to give you a pinch!

One fun thing that some of my friend’s children are doing this year is making a Leprechaun trap. You can make one out of a shoebox. To lead them to the trap, you need to make a trail of shiny coins. It can even be the chocolate coins that are wrapped in gold foil. The shinier the better! They love it if you add pretty colors, especially rainbows! Be sure to cover up any logos like the Nike symbol on your boxes. If they see that you will scare them away.  

They can be simple or fancy. You can google lots of design ideas online. If you can really trick them, you might catch a leprechaun. Papaw hasn’t caught one yet but I will keep trying!.

 

 Here is a fun video about how to make a simple trap.

 Be sure to let me know if you catch one!

Love, Papaw.

Taken from Fun facts about leprechauns: https://www.garfieldrefining.com/resources/blog/pot-of-gold/

How Do Snakes Lay Eggs?

Here is another request from the grandkids. Well, at least one of them. I’m not sure everyone will like it. I’ve always liked snakes. My wife? Not so much. That’s why I have to keep them in my classroom. My students seem to like it. When things get boring, we can just feed a snake. There are quite a few of the staff that tend to avoid visiting. Oh well, their loss.

The question of “how do snakes lay eggs” is not as straight forward as it seems. First, not every snakes lay eggs. There are snakes that give birth to live young. The baby snakes are ready to go from the start. There are 2 kinds of “live bearers”, viviparous & oviparous. Viviparous snakes do not have eggs at all. The common garter snake and ocean-going sea snakes are examples of viviparous snakes. Oviparous snakes have eggs that hatch inside the mother shortly before birth. These include vipers, rattlesnakes, boas, and anacondas. https://wildlifeqld.com.au/viviparous-oviparous-snake-egg/ Many of these snakes live in colder climates and it is thought this can give the babies a better head start.

About 70% of snakes lay eggs. Some common egg layers are pythons, cobras, and the common rat snake. The eggs usually take about 60 days to hatch. The babies are born with a special “egg tooth” that they use to cut open the rubbery egg shell. It falls off shortly after birth.

So how do they lay their eggs? Underneath a snake you will notice that the scales are much larger than on their back. An inch or two from the tip of their tail, depending on whether it’s a male or female, you will notice a spot where the scales are different. This is called the vent. It’s used both for eliminating waste and for laying eggs. Chicken have the same kind of structure that they use to lay eggs also. Live babies also are born through the vent.

Many snakes lay their eggs in the leaf litter and leave them alone. Others can make nests and stay with them until they hatch. Mother pythons wrap around their eggs and can even warm up their eggs by shivering so they won’t get too cold.

Snake are pretty cool and fun to look at, but unless you are with someone with experience, it’s better to just watch them from a distance. Some snake can be cranky when they first wake up!

Here’s a video of a bay corn snake hatching. 

Hope you liked it!

Love Papaw.