This energy is 80 great that one kilogram of uranium can produce more energy than the burning of over 2,300,000 kilograms of coal. It would take 44 freight train cars to hold 2,300,000 kilograms of coal. The name of this powerful energy is nuclear energy. The nucleus of an atom is found in the center of the atom. This nucleus is made of protons and neutrons.
Nuclear energy is released by splitting the nucleus of the atom into pieces.
Most nuclear energy is made from the atoms of uranium. Uranium is a heavy, radioactive metal. A radioactive atom may shove a little particle out of its nucleus. These particles behave like an atomic bullet. Then these two pieces shoot out until they hit two more uranium atoms.