KERALA PSC / PHYSICS / ATOMIC REACTORS / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC PRELIMINARY / NOTES

 

KERALA PSC / PHYSICS / ATOMIC REACTORS / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC PRELIMINARY / NOTES

KERALA PSC / PHYSICS / ATOMIC REACTORS / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC PRELIMINARY / NOTES

·      Nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydro and renewable sources of electricity

·      In 2010, India has 19 nuclear power plants in operation generating 4560 MW while 4 other are under construction

·      The first atomic reactor in India is ‘Apsara’ in Trombay (Maharashtra)                  

·      World’s first fast breeder reactor named KAMINI (Kalpakam Mini Reactor) in 1985 at the IGCAR at Kalpakam in Tamil Nadu. The fuel used in this reactor is mixed Uranium – plutonium carbide

·      The early reactors were known as Atomic Piles

·      Some important Nuclear Reactors:

CIRUS (1960 the “Canada – India Reactor”)

ZERLINA (1961 Zero energy Reactor for lattice investigations and Neutron Asay)

Purnima I (1972), Purnima II (1984), KAMINI (1985), Dhruva (1985), Purnima III (1990).

·      Heavy water, graphite and neutrons are used as moderator in nuclear reactors.

·      India’s first atomic power station at Tarapore in Maharashtra

·      Nuclear reactors are used for the emission of fast neutrons, for the production of radio isotopes for the generation of electricity.

·      The reactors in which energy is produced by the fission of U²³⁵ by slow neutrons are called thermal reactors

·      Coolant is a fluid used in nuclear reactors to remove the heat produced in the core.

·      The coolant used in fast breeder reactors is generally liquid sodium.

·      Heavy water is used as a coolant as well as a moderator for nuclear reactors

·      Heavy water, graphite or beryllium – oxide are used as moderators to slow down the neutrons

·      The main source of solar energy is nuclear fusion

·      The fast breeder reactor gets its name from the fact that it utilizes excess free neutrons to breed new fissionable material.

·      The original fuel in the fast breeder reactor is plutonium and uranium oxides or carbides

·      Cadmium rod is used in a reactor to absorb neutrons

·      Willard Frank Libby discovered carbon dating.

·      Coal is the most important raw material for thermal power plant

·      Flyash is a waste product of thermal power plants

·      Cobalt-60 is commonly used in radio therapy because it emits beta rays which has more energy than the X-rays.

KERALA PSC / PHYSICS / ATOMIC REACTORS / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC PRELIMINARY / NOTES