Final answer:
Uranium 1) specifically Uranium-235 (U-235), is a fuel used in nuclear power stations. Enrichment increases the percentage of U-235 to about 5% to sustain a controlled nuclear chain reaction for power generation. Uranium is processed into fuel rods and fuel assemblies for use in nuclear reactors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name of one fuel used in nuclear power stations is Uranium, specifically the isotope Uranium-235 (U-235). Nuclear power plants use the energy from nuclear fission to produce electricity, and U-235 is the preferred fuel for this process. When U-235 atoms are split in a nuclear reactor, they emit heat and radiation, which can be harnessed to generate electricity. However, natural uranium requires enrichment since it contains a greater proportion of Uranium-238 and only about 0.7% fissionable U-235. Enrichment increases the U-235 content to about 5%, aiding in sustaining a controlled chain reaction without posing the risk of an explosion.
Nuclear fuel in the form on processed uranium is made into fuel rods and subsequently arranged into fuel assemblies. These fuel assemblies are stored at nuclear power plants until needed, upon which they are loaded into the reactor core. While U-235 is one of the primary fuels used, other materials like Plutonium-239 and Thorium can also be used in nuclear reactors, particularly in advanced breeder reactors.