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Atomic power for construction and peace ..

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Science
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Soling . 0d, coal, oil and
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By PROF. G. PETROVSKY

energy was found — the energy
of the atomic nucleus.

*

Let’s recapitulate the story of
atomic energy. .

A substance is the sum total
of its positive and negative
charges. The atom of any ele-
ment consists of an atomic nu-
cleus which has a_ positive
charge, and electrons, which
have negative charges.

The particles bearing positive
charges — atomic nuclei — have
an extremely high density, the
matter in them being concentrat-
ed to an exceptional degree,

If it were possible to fill a ves-
sel one cubic centimetre in size
to capacity with atomic nuclei
it would weigh many million
tons. And a cubic millimetre
of that substance would weigh
as much as two big liners or
25 freight trains. (A cubic centi-
metre is less than one-sixteenth
of a cubic inch; a thousand cubic
millimetres equal one cubic cen-

timetre).

Electrons, on the other hand,
have an almost insignificant
density. | Moreover, electrons

have no sharply defined limits,
being, so to speak, peculiar fluf-
fy cloudlets. It will therefore
be simple to speak of the elec-
tronic envelope of the atom,
rather than of the electron as
such. Thedensity of the en-
velope is roughly equal to the
density of the atmosphere.

It is important to know this in
view of the fact that the degree
of concentration of a mass is
closely interlinked with the de-
gree of concentration of energy.
It follows from this that the
energy concentrated in the nu-
clei of atoms is very large, thou-
sands of millions of times more

than in the electronic envelopes.

Under ordinary conditions, only
the electronic envelopes of
atoms can come into contact,
and common physical and: chemi-
cal phenomena are due to the
interaction of the electronic en-
velopes of atoms and the changes
arising in those envelopes.

Energy generated thereby is
small, especially if it is compar-
ed with the total store of energy
in a substance.

Thus, ordinary processes en-
able us to make use of an ex-
tremely small part of the energy
resources around us. In _ the
main ,so far we are making use
only of the thermal energy of
burning fuel and the mechanical
energy of moving water or air,
which derives in turn from the
thermal energy stemming from
the sun.

*

An interesting fact is _that
atomic fuel. is adapted by nature
itself, one might say, for simple
and convenient utilization. When
thermal energy is being obtain-
ed from atomic fuel, mechaniza-
tion is needed only for operating
the atomic piles through the
thick concrete barrier needed to
keep back radiation injurious to
man. The process of generation
of thermal energy itself is ex-
ceptionally simple.

Let’s take for illustration the
work of a uranium pile.

Uranium was first obtained by
Peligot, a French chemist, in
1840. But for a whole century
compounds of this precious. mat-
erial had been used mainly as‘a
dye for glass (uranium yellow)
and also as a black dye for paint-
ing porcelain. Today uranium
can be used as nuclear fuel.

Uranium bars are placed in

the pile next to bars of graphite,
the weight ratio being calculated
in advance.

Graphite slows down and re-
flects back into the pile of neut-
rons emitted by uranium. The
slowed-down neutrons penetrate
the atomic nuclei of uranium
and transform it into other sub-
stances. In the process there are
released fast-flying electrons,
which penetrate the bars and
heat them up.

The graphite also becomes
very hot. By using the heat
generated in the pile. to heat
water it is possible to obtain
steam of a high pressure.

Next the steam goes into tur-
bines which rotate electric gen-
erators. The eleciric current
goes to consumers and with the
remaining heat the steam heats

water, which goes to: heat resi- -

dential buildings and, factories.

The consumption of atomic
fuel is very small. Calculations
have shown that an electric sta-
tion of 100,000 kilowatt capacity,
which can meet the needs of a
large industrial town in elec-
tricity,. would consume half a

‘pound of uranium in 24 hours, a

quantity which would be con-
tained in a cigarette case.

The steam-turbined nuclear
power station is the first power
plant of the new era.

*

Let’s compare the old and new
energy resources found on our
planet.

The known world resources of
coal and oil are equivalent to a
quantity of gasoline which would
cover the surface of the globe
with a layer less than half an
inch thick.

If the resources of uranium
and other heavy chemical ele-
ments suitable for generating
atomic energy are converted in
terms of gasoline then we would
have a layer over ‘330 feet thick,
or 10,000 times as much. Such
an amount of energy would be
enough to last many thousands
of yéars.

Even larger amounts of energ
will be obtained in the future
when we master ordinary hydro-
gen and lithium, the nuclei of
which theoretically also can gen-
erate immense amounts of energy
when made to combine.

Lithium and ordinary hydro-
gen are found on the earth in
large quantities, and hence if it
becomes possible to use them as
atomic fuel mankind's potential

power resources will increase
many thousands of times more.

The energy latent in the nu-
cleus of uranium is already be-
ing utilized “in the USSR for
peaceful purposes. It should be
borne in mind, however, that be-
sides uranium the resources of
another important source of
energy of the future can also be

- utilized.

We refer to the successful ex-
traction in the USSR of energy
contained in the atomic nucleus
of heavy hydrogen by the utiliza-
tion of thermo-nuclear reactions.

The mighty energy of the
atomic nucleus will make it pos-
sible rapidly to build hydrotech-
nical constructions. With the
aid of guided explosions it will
be possible to straighten the
beds of big rivers, build immense
cams, and literally in a few min-
utes dig canals which it would
take years to dig with ordinary
machines.

Miners will not have to go
down into deep mines. It will be
possible by means of explosions
to bare the earth’s strata to a
great depth and to have open-
east works instead of tunnels.

The vistas opened up by the
new, atomic power, are truly
boundless. It will be possible
to make the cold current in the
Arctic warmer than the Gulf
Stream.

After a few decades it will be

‘only from textbooks that chil-

dren will learn that once there
were deserts. For it will not be
difficult artificially to create a
layer of fertile soil in any water-
less expanse covered with life-
withholding sand, and to supply
it with all the water required for
irrigation.

Most extensive will be the de-
velopment of the new science—
the science of nuclear chemistry.
Re-arrangement of the nucleus
warrants raising the question of
changing one element into an-
other, such as nitrogen into oxy-
gen and mercury into gold. And
there will emerge new branches
of industry, such as radio-active
technology of metals, plastics
and other materials.

Nuclear physics will render

extensive help to contemporary
medicine,
dustry.

The new power resource
makes possible the’ realization of
what now may. seem fantastic
projects.

agriculture and in-

. . . Not for destruction and war.
PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MAY 20, 1955 — PAGE 9