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  1. NUCLEAR 101: How Does a Nuclear Reactor Work? - Department of …

    May 19, 2025 · Nuclear reactors are the heart of a nuclear power plant. They contain and control nuclear chain reactions that produce heat through a physical process called fission.

  2. Nuclear reactor - Wikipedia

    Just as conventional thermal power stations generate electricity by harnessing the thermal energy released from burning fossil fuels, nuclear reactors convert the energy released by controlled nuclear …

  3. How does a nuclear reactor work? - World Nuclear Association

    A nuclear reactor is driven by the splitting of atoms, a process called fission, where a particle (a ‘neutron’) is fired at an atom, which then fissions into two smaller atoms and some additional neutrons.

  4. How a Nuclear Reactor Works - HowStuffWorks

    In this article, we'll explain how nuclear reactors work, what happens when they malfunction, and the risks they pose to our health and the environment compared to other energy sources.

  5. What is Nuclear Energy? The Science of Nuclear Power

    Nov 11, 2025 · How does a nuclear power plant work? Inside nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors and their equipment contain and control the chain reactions, most commonly fuelled by uranium-235, to …

  6. How Nuclear Reactors Work - EPRI

    This article explains the basics of how nuclear reactors work, what they do, and popular types of reactors — both now and in the future. What Is a Nuclear Reactor? A nuclear reactor releases the …

  7. How a Nuclear Reactor Works | NEI

    Nuclear plants are different because they do not burn anything to create steam. Instead, they split uranium atoms in a process called fission. As a result, unlike other energy sources, nuclear power …

  8. How a Nuclear Reactor Works - Canadian Nuclear Association

    Nuclear reactors produce heat by splitting atoms. This heat converts water into steam, which in turn turns a turbine that spins a magnet, causing electricity to flow to the grid.

  9. What Is a Nuclear Reactor and How Does It Work? - Engineer Fix

    Nov 7, 2025 · Controlling this balance of production and absorption differentiates a power reactor from an uncontrolled release of energy. The reactor core houses several distinct components necessary …

  10. Nuclear reactor | Definition, History, & Components | Britannica

    3 days ago · Nuclear reactors operate on the principle of nuclear fission, the process in which a heavy atomic nucleus splits into two smaller fragments. The nuclear fragments are in very excited states …