KEY WEBSITES
- California Energy CommissionAn explanation of fission and fusion from the CEC.
- Fission and Fusion from Purdue UniversitySide to side explanations of the processes involved in fission and fusion.
- US EPA: Nuclear EnergyA good starting point for information about the potential impact of nuclear energy on the environment, from the Environmental Protection Agency. Deals mostly with nuclear fission.
- US DOE Energy Information AdministrationThis is the most authoritative site for statistics about US energy consumption, production, historical data, and short-term and long-term energy forecasts. See the renewable energy section for information about the renewable energy industry.
- NYT: Nuclear EnergyCurrent articles from the New York Times about nuclear energy. Most focus on the use of nuclear fission and nuclear power plant activities.
WHAT IS NUCLEAR ENERGY?
Nuclear energy can be used to make electricity, and may be released from atoms through nuclear fusion or nuclear fission. Use these definitions from the U.S. Energy Information Agency to understand the difference:
"In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart to form smaller atoms, releasing energy. Nuclear power plants use this energy to produce electricity.
In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. This is how the sun produces energy. Fusion is the subject of ongoing research, but it is not yet clear that it will ever be a commercially viable technology for electricity generation."
Use this main page to give you general information on the topic. Use the Fission and Fusion tabs to get specific information on each type of nuclear energy.
SEARCH FOR ARTICLES
See what the library has to offer. Type in the search term nuclear power and press the Search button:
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GET FAMILIAR WITH THE TOPIC
Encyclopedias are a great way to get background information on a topic.
This widget lets you flip through articles on nuclear energy that are in the online Encyclopedia Britannica.
Flip through all the articles, and click on the "full article" button to read the full story.
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