black lung disease
	Inflammation and fibrosis caused by accumulation of coal dust in the lungs or airways. See respiratory fibrotic agents.
breeder reactor
	A nuclear reactor that produces fuel by bombarding isotopes of uranium and thorium with high-energy neutrons that convert inert atoms to fissionable ones. These reactors are inherently less stable and more dangerous than normal nuclear reactors.
chain reaction
	A self-sustaining reaction in which the fission of nuclei produces subatomic particles that cause the fission of other nuclei.
control rods
	Neutron-absorbing material inserted into spaces between fuel assemblies in nuclear reactors to regulate fission reaction.
energy
	The capacity to do work (that is, to change the physical state or motion of an object).
fossil fuels
	Petroleum, natural gas, and coal created by geological forces from organic wastes and dead bodies of formerly living biological organisms.
fuel assembly
	A bundle of hollow metal rods containing uranium oxide pellets; used to fuel a nuclear reactor.
high-level waste repository
	A place where intensely radioactive wastes can be buried deep in the ground and remain unexposed to groundwater and earthquakes for tens of thousands of years. The first such site chosen in the United States is Yucca Mountain, Nevada, although it is not certain that a waste repository will ever be built there.
inertial confinement
	A nuclear fusion process in which a small pellet of nuclear fuel is bombarded with extremely high-intensity laser light.
magnetic confinement
	A technique for enclosing a nuclear fusion reaction in a powerful magnetic field inside a vacuum chamber.
methane hydrate
	Small bubbles or individual molecules of methane (natural gas) trapped in a crystalline matrix of frozen water.
monitored, retrievable storage
	Holding wastes in underground mines or secure surface facilities such as dry casks where they can be watched and repackaged, if necessary.
nuclear fission
	The radioactive decay process in which isotopes split apart to create two smaller atoms.
nuclear fusion
	A process in which two smaller atomic nuclei fuse into one larger nucleus and release energy; the source of power in a hydrogen bomb.
oil shale
	A fine-grained sedimentary rock rich in solid organic material called kerogen. When heated, the kerogen liquefies to produce a fluid petroleum fuel.
power
	The rate of energy delivery; measured in horsepower or watts.
secondary recovery technique
	Pumping pressurized gas, steam, or chemical-containing water into a well to squeeze more oil from a reservoir.
work
	The application of force through a distance; requires energy input.

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