2006-06-23 00:37:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
There are a few types of nuclear (or radioactive) waste:
High-level waste (HLW) contains the fisson products and transuranic elements, this includes spent fuel rods (which can't be used due to buildup of poisons such as xenon and samarium) and processing waste.
Low-level waste (LLW) contains radioactive isotopes with very short half-lives, this waste includes things like clothing and office supplies from hospitals. This material can be disposed of by combustion or burial.
Transuranic waste contains elements with higher atomic numbers than uranium, this material generally has a long half life.
For more information on nuclear wastes, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_waste
2006-06-23 09:59:32 · answer #1 · answered by purplekitten 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fuel rods in a nuclear reactor are Uranium235. In any nuclear reaction, other stable and unstable (radioactive) materials are produced, including Cs137 which has a half-life of 30 years, I131 which is able to be absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the thyroid and doesn't take much to completely kill the thyroid. There are all kinds of them, I am experienced in some of this nuclear waste because I am a nuclear pharmacist and I work with this stuff everyday to treat and diagnose people, so there are positive uses for some of it. The problem is that many of the unusable elements that are produced have very long half-lives and won't decay to negligable amounts for thousands of years.
2006-06-23 07:48:26 · answer #2 · answered by nukecat25 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is left over after a Nuclear Fusion reaction. It is the highly radioactive waste produced as a by product when creating Nuclear Power.
2006-06-23 07:42:54 · answer #3 · answered by An Iarmhi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the residue left after the reaction involving nuclear substances.
it is generally the used fuel rods in a nuclear reaction.
2006-06-23 07:42:29 · answer #4 · answered by priyakiddy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The nuclear(radioactive/non-radioactive) substance that remains after a nuclear fission/fusion reaction is carried out;and that which cant be further utilized.
2006-06-23 08:28:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its whats left after a nuke takes a dump lol
2006-06-23 07:56:52 · answer #6 · answered by james b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋