Contents

Introduction
1.1 The structure of atoms
- 1.1.1 Isotopes
- 1.1.2 Common isotopes
- 1.1.3 Structure of atoms
- 1.1.4 The nature of the nucleus
1.2 Radioactive atoms
- 1.2.1 Radioactivity
- 1.2.2 Alpha, beta and gamma radiation
- 1.2.3 Doses of radiation
- 1.2.4 Precise doses of radiation
- 1.2.5 Some uses of radioactivity
- 1.2.6 Myths of radiation
- 1.2.7 Ideas about radioactivity
1.3 Nuclear processes
- 1.3.1 Uranium
- 1.3.2 Isotope trumps!
- 1.3.3 What is fission?
- 1.3.4 The chain reaction
- 1.3.5 Energy from fission
- 1.3.6 The early days of fission
1.4 Quiz for Week 1
1.5 Summary of Week 1
Introduction
2.1 Energy and power
- 2.1.1 What uses most energy in the home?
- 2.1.2 Human power station
- 2.1.3 Generating electricity
- 2.1.4 Energy sources
- 2.1.5 Running the National Grid
- 2.1.6 The National Grid
- 2.1.7 Peak output
2.2 Components of a nuclear power station
- 2.2.1 Looking inside a nuclear reactor
- 2.2.2 Inside a nuclear reactor
- 2.2.3 Types of nuclear reactor
- 2.2.4 The world’s nuclear power stations
2.3 Waste produced by nuclear power
- 2.3.1 Half-life
- 2.3.2 Types of radioactive waste
- 2.3.3 Decommissioning at Dounreay
- 2.3.4 What can be done with nuclear waste?
- 2.3.5 Solution: reuse
- 2.3.6 Solution: transmutation
- 2.3.7 Solution: deep geological repository
- 2.3.8 Case study: Yucca mountain
2.4 Quiz for Week 2
2.5 Summary of Week 2
Introduction
3.1 Atomic men!
- 3.1.1 What can go wrong in a nuclear power station?
- 3.1.2 Accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl
- 3.1.3 Errors
- 3.1.4 Clean-up at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl
3.2 The Fukushima Daiichi reactor
- 3.2.1 What caused the meltdown at Fukushima?
- 3.2.2 Hydrogen explosions demonstration
- 3.2.3 Inside the Daiichi power plant
- 3.2.4 Exclusion zone
- 3.2.5 Clean-up of Iitate
- 3.2.6 Fukushima level 7
- 3.2.7 Fukushima – six months later
3.3 Fukushima – water issues
- 3.3.1 Fukushima – ongoing challenges
- 3.3.2 Fukushima – health effects three years later
- 3.3.3 Chernobyl today – the reactor
- 3.3.4 Chernobyl today – exclusion zone
- 3.3.5 Chernobyl today – health effects
- 3.3.6 What have we learned?
3.4 Quiz for Week 3
3.5 Summary of Week 3
Introduction
4.1 Energy for the future or relic of the past?
- 4.1.1 Carbon emissions and global warming
- 4.1.2 Find your carbon footprint
- 4.1.3 The energy gap
- 4.1.4 The role of nuclear energy
- 4.1.5 New reactor at Hinkley C
- 4.1.6 Nuclear waste
- 4.1.7 Happy with Hinkley?
4.2 Thorium – nuclear fuel of the future?
- 4.2.1 The Sun’s energy source
- 4.2.2 What is nuclear fusion?
- 4.2.3 Making use of fusion
- 4.2.4 Challenges of fusing nuclei
- 4.2.5 Fusion
- 4.2.6 Fusion at JET and ITER
- 4.2.7 The National Ignition Facility
4.3 Nuclear energy debate
- 4.3.1 What are your views on nuclear power?
4.4 End-of-course quiz
4.5 Summary of Week 4
References
Further Reading
Acknowledgements

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