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The science of nuclear energy

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The science of nuclear energy provided by OpenLearn is a comprehensive online course, which lasts for 12 hours worth of material. Upon completion of the course, you can receive an e-certificate from OpenLearn. The course is taught in Englishand is Free Certificate. Visit the course page at OpenLearn for detailed price information.

The Open University via OpenLearn
12 hours worth of material
Self Paced
Overview

  • This free course, The science of nuclear energy, will delve into the science behind nuclear power and explain what happens inside a nuclear reactor and what it means for an element to be ...

Syllabus

    • Week1Week 1: Into the atom
    • 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
    • Further reading
    • Acknowledgements
    • Week2Week 2: Using nuclear energy
    • 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
    • References
    • Acknowledgements
    • Week3Week 3: Is nuclear power safe?
    • 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
    • References
    • Further reading
    • Acknowledgements
    • Week4Week 4: A future for nuclear power?
    • 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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