ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the atomic world upon which the nuclear power industry is based. As everyone knows, an atom consists of primarily of empty space. In fact, over 99.999% of the volume of an atom contains nothing at all. The nucleus of the atom is surrounded by a cloud of fast moving electrical particles called electrons. The electrons that orbit the atomic nucleus are held in place by electrical forces. Their orbital speed is determined primarily by these electrical forces, and in general, electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom at about 1% of the speed of light. In general, all atoms found in nature are electrically neutral structures. Therefore, the heavier the nucleus of an atom, the more electrons it must have to compensate for the additional positive charge of the nucleus. Atoms that have a scarcity of electrons orbiting them are sometimes referred to as ions.
