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Lesson 9 of 10
  • Year 11
  • Edexcel
  • Foundation

Nuclear power stations

I can describe how a nuclear power station produces energy for heating to generate electricity.

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Lesson 9 of 10
New
New
  • Year 11
  • Edexcel
  • Foundation

Nuclear power stations

I can describe how a nuclear power station produces energy for heating to generate electricity.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The fission of uranium-235 produces two daughter nuclei, two or more neutrons and gamma radiation.
  2. In a nuclear power station, control rods absorb neutrons to control the rate at which U-235 fissions.
  3. In a nuclear power station, a moderator absorbs the energy from gamma radiation and heats up.
  4. Heating by the moderator, via a coolant, boils pure water turning it to steam.
  5. The expansion of pure water turning to steam creates a driving force that spins a turbine.

Keywords

  • Chain reaction - occurs when neutrons from nuclear fission go on to cause more fission events

  • Control rod - used to absorb neutrons in a reactor to reduce the rate of reaction

  • Moderator - used to slow neutrons in a reactor so that they can cause more fission

  • Turbine - rotated by high pressure steam in a power station

  • Electrical generator - produces a potential difference when rotated

Common misconception

Nuclear power stations can explode in a similar way to nuclear bombs.

Explain how the fuel in power stations is not sufficiently concentrated to cause nuclear explosions, and the control rods stop them overheating which could cause a conventional explosion that releases contaminants (as happened at Chernobyl).


To help you plan your year 11 physics lesson on: Nuclear power stations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Diagrams of how nuclear power stations work can be readily found through an internet search.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a power station?

Correct answer: A place where electricity is generated from various energy sources.
A building that stores electricity for future use.
A facility used only to store and distribute natural gas.
A station where power lines are maintained and repaired.

Q2.
On average, which type of power station generates most of the electricity in the UK?

nuclear
geothermal
hydroelectric
Correct answer: fossil fuel
biofuel

Q3.
Match each of the following parts of a fossil fuel power station to the correct function.

Correct Answer:furnace,burns fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, wood) to release energy

burns fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, wood) to release energy

Correct Answer:boiler,heats water, using heat from burning fossil fuels, to produce steam

heats water, using heat from burning fossil fuels, to produce steam

Correct Answer:turbine,the blades spin when high–pressure steam passes through it

the blades spin when high–pressure steam passes through it

Correct Answer:generator,driven by the turbine and generates electricity

driven by the turbine and generates electricity

Q4.
Sort the following stages of electricity generation in a fossil fuel power station into the correct order.

1 - Fuel is burned in the furnace to generate heat.
2 - Water is heated in the boiler to turn it into steam.
3 - The steam turns the turbine, which drives the generator.
4 - The generator converts motion into electricity.

Q5.
Which of the following are advantages of fossil fuel power stations?

Correct answer: Fossil fuels are currently cheap and their power stations are reliable.
They release large amounts of CO₂, contributing to global warming.
Correct answer: They can generate electricity at any time.
Fossil fuels are non–renewable and will eventually run out.

Q6.
Which of the following statements about geothermal power stations are correct?

Correct answer: Geothermal power is only available where there is volcanic activity.
Correct answer: Geothermal stations produce virtually no greenhouse gases during operation.
Geothermal stations rely on burning fossil fuels for energy.
Geothermal energy can be used anywhere, regardless of location.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What happens during nuclear fission in a nuclear power station?

Two light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.
Correct answer: A heavy nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, releasing energy.
Neutrons are absorbed, stopping the reaction.
Electrons are removed from atoms, causing ionisation.

Q2.
What is a chain reaction in a nuclear power station?

Electrons collide, causing continuous energy release.
Fuel continuously burns, releasing heat and light.
Light nuclei fuse together repeatedly.
Correct answer: Neutrons released by fission cause further fission in nearby nuclei.

Q3.
Which of these is a key similarity or difference between a nuclear and fossil–fuel power station?

Both generate heat by burning fuels.
Nuclear power stations require combustion to generate heat.
Fossil–fuel stations release no emissions from burning fuels.
Correct answer: Nuclear power stations use nuclear fission reactions to generate heat.

Q4.
Match each of the following components of a nuclear power station to the correct functions.

Correct Answer:reactor core,where fission takes place

where fission takes place

Correct Answer:control rods,absorb neutrons to regulate the rate of the chain reaction

absorb neutrons to regulate the rate of the chain reaction

Correct Answer:fuel rods,contain fissile material for the fission reaction

contain fissile material for the fission reaction

Correct Answer:moderator,slows down neutrons to sustain the rate of the chain reaction

slows down neutrons to sustain the rate of the chain reaction

Correct Answer:containment vessel,prevents radiation from escaping

prevents radiation from escaping

Correct Answer:heat exchanger,transfers heat from the reactor to a separate water circuit

transfers heat from the reactor to a separate water circuit

Q5.
Sort the following stages of electricity generation in a nuclear power station into the correct order.

1 - Neutrons collide with uranium nuclei in the reactor core (in the fuel rods).
2 - The fission of uranium nuclei generates heat.
3 - Heat is transferred to water via the heat exchanger.
4 - The water in the heat exchanger is converted into steam.
5 - The steam turns the turbine, which drives the generator, generating electricity.

Q6.
What is the difference between the moderator and the control rod in terms of their effect on neutrons?

Correct answer: The moderator slows neutrons, while the control rods absorb them.
The moderator absorbs neutrons, while the control rods slow them down.
Both the moderator and control rods slow neutrons.
Both the moderator and control rods absorb neutrons.