Thorium cycle. Computer artwork showing the nuclear fuel cycle that uses the naturally abundant 232 isotope of thorium (Th-232) as the fertile materia

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Thorium cycle. Computer artwork showing the nuclear fuel cycle that uses the naturally abundant 232 isotope of thorium (Th-232) as the fertile material to produce energy. From top right: Natural thorium (Th-232) absorbs a neutron (blue sphere) from uranium fission to become Th-233. Th-233 decays quickly to protactinium-233, which decays slowly over a month to uranium-233, an ideal fuel. Uranium-233 fissions, releasing energy (white flash) and neutrons (blue spheres) to continue the cycle.

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Size: 4446px × 3971px
Photo credit: © MIKKEL JUUL JENSEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -233, -232, 232, 233, artwork, cut, cut-, cut-outs, cutout, cutouts, cycle, energy, fissile, fission, fuel, generation, illustration, isotope, isotopes, neutron, neutrons, nuclear, outs, power, process, processes, protactinium, protactinium-233, react, reaction, source, stage, stages, thorium, thorium-232, thorium-233, uranium