All About Nuclear Materials

There are many practical applications to the use of radio-activity/radiation. Radioactive sources are used to study living organisms, to diagnose and treat diseases, to sterilize medical instruments and food, to produce energy for heat and electric power, and to monitor various steps in all types of industrial processes. Tracers are a common application of radio-isotopes. Tracers are commonly used in the medical field and in the study of plants and animals. Nuclear reactors are devices that control fission reactions producing new substances from the fission product and energy. Nuclear power stations use uranium in fission reactions as a fuel to produce energy. Steam is generated by the heat released during the fission process. It is this steam that turns a turbine to produce electric energy Sterilization of medical instruments and food is another common application of radiation. Radiation sources are extremely important to the manufacturing industries throughout the world. They are commonly employed by nondestructive testing personnel to monitor materials and processes in the making of the products we see and use every day.