N^4: Article on Thorium in Wired Magazine

Glossary (Under Construction)

Combustion - The process of burning a fuel combined with an oxidant to produce heat and other forms of energy.

Boiling Water Reactor - A type of Light Water Reactor that uses normal water as a neutron moderator and coolant. Water is heated by fuel core elements within the reactor vessel where it is boiled into steam. The steam is used to turn a turbine for energy. It is otherwise abbreviated as a "BWR".

BWR - Boiling Water Reactor

Electrostatic Force - This is the phenomenon which binds electrons to the nucleus of an atom. The electrostatic force prevents two atoms from becoming close enough to each other for their nuclei to fuse because the like charges of their orbiting electrons repel each other.

Georeactor Theory - A scientific theory in the field of geology that proposes that heavy radioactive elements have become concentrated in the Earth's core during its early geological history. They eventually reached critical mass and are undergoing nuclear fission, similar to the Oklo reactor in Gabon, Africa. This would explain how the Earth's interior is able to maintain its steady heat and magnetic output. However, this theory remains untested.

Isotope - An atom with more or fewer neutrons than the number of protons that it has. Most atoms of an element have the same number of neutrons as protons but isotopes are an exception. 

Neutron - A subatomic particle within the nucleus of an atom that has a neutral charge. Free neutrons can also initiate a nuclear reaction within the nucleus of an atom. These free neutrons are also the fourth kind of Ionizing Radiation which is called Neutron Radiation.

Neutron Radiation - A type of Ionizing Radiation that consists of free Neutrons traveling at high speeds. These neutrons are what drive most forms of nuclear reactions. It can pose a danger to many life forms, and it can also cause materials to become radioactive through the process of Neutron Activation.

Nuclear Chain Reaction - A series of nuclear reactions initiated by the products of a previous Nuclear Reaction.

Nuclear Fission - The process of splitting an atom into two nuclei of daughter elements. When an atom is split, two daughter elements are created, releasing energy in the process. The masses of the two daughter nuclei added together will equal the mass of the original atom that they split, from in accordance with the Conservation of Mass theory. However, recent experiments have shown that a minute amount of mass is unaccounted for with the resulting nuclei as a portion of the original atom's mass was converted into kinetic energy.

Nuclear Force - The phenomenon that holds the neutron and proton particles together in an atom's nucleus. The nuclear forces of an atom are very strong compared with the Electrostatic Force.

Nuclear Fusion - The process of fusing the nuclei of two atoms together, which releases energy in addition to stray neutrons. This is how stars like our sun create heat, light, and other forms of radiation.

Nuclear Reaction - Changes in an atom's structure which concern particles within its nucleus as opposed to chemical reactions which affect only its valence electrons. One of four types of nuclear reactions can occur: Fission, Fusion, Neutron Capture, or Nuclear Decay.

Oklo Fossil Reactor - A naturally occurring "Nuclear Reactor in the Oklo uranium mine of Gabon, Africa. Approximately two billion years ago, groundwater seeped into the uranium deposits which acted as a "Neutron Moderator" which allowed the uranium-235 within the surrounding rock to undergo continuous Fission. The heat from the fission reaction eventually caused the groundwater to boil away which halted the fission reaction. When the rocks cooled down, groundwater flowed in again, causing fission to resume. This intermittent cycle of Criticality initiation and cool down continued for several thousand years and produced an average of one hundred kilowatts of energy per hour.

Proton - A subatomic particle that is positively charged. It is commonly found within the nucleus of an atom. Free protons are one of the products of β Decay. 

Thorium - A naturally occurring radioactive element that is element 90 in the periodic table. Most of the thorium found in nature is Thorium-232, with the isotopes Th-234, Th-231, Th-230, Th-228, and Th-227 in varying degrees. Thorium-232 remains the isotope of interest because of its potential use for nuclear energy. In its pure form it is a silvery-white metal that tarnishes to black in contact with oxygen.

Turbine - A type of rotary engine that uses a working fluid as a means of harnessing the energy being collected.

Uranium - A naturally occurring, radioactive element in the periodic table. It is element 92, and is the
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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Article on Thorium in Wired Magazine

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