Question

Nuclear reactors produce energy in the form of heat by

A.
fusing uranium and plutonium.

B.
splitting hydrogen molecules.

C.
using an electron transfer system.

D.
splitting a reactive isotope of uranium.

Answer 1

D. splitting a reactive isotope of uranium.

Nuclear reactors generate heat by nuclear fission — most commonly splitting isotopes such as U-235 (and sometimes Pu-239) in a chain reaction; the released energy is used to produce steam and drive turbines.