Introduction to Nuclear Energy
Lecture
Main Campus
Course Description
Radioactivity. Elementary nuclear processes. Energetics of fission and fusion. Cross-sections and resonances. Fissionable and fertile isotopes. Neutron budgets. Light water, heavy water and graphite reactors. World nuclear energy production. World reserves of uranium and thorium. Plutonium, reprocessing and proliferation. Half lives of fission decay products and actinides made by neutron capture. Nuclear waste. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Molten sodium breeders. Generation-IV reactors. Inertial confinement and magnetic fusion. Laser compression. Fast neutron production and fission-fusion hybrids. Interested undergraduates encouraged to enroll, with permission of instructor.
PHYSICS 241
Units: 3
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Typically Offered
Not Available
Grading Basis
Letter or Credit/No Credit
Class Level
Graduate
Instructional Mode
In Person
Gen Ed Requirement(s)
None