Y-12 National Security Complex

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/y-12-national-security-complex

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Y-12 National Security Complex?Nuclear weapons component manufacturing, nuclear material stewardship, and non-proliferation support
2. What is the location?Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
3. What is the year of establishment?1943 (as part of the Manhattan Project)
4. Why was Y-12 built during World War II?Y‑12 was built to enrich uranium, which is needed to make the atomic bombs used in 1945. The plant used big machines called Calutrons to separate the special U‑235 isotope from other uranium atoms.
5. How does Y-12 make enriched uranium?Today Y‑12 mainly uses gas‑centrifuge machines to spin uranium very fast. This makes the U‑235 isotope more concentrated so it can be used for weapons or for some nuclear reactors.

Electromagnetic Isotope Separation: A method used historically at Y-12 to separate uranium isotopes based on their mass.
Nuclear Deterrence: The strategic concept of discouraging attack through the threat of nuclear retaliation.
Non-Proliferation: Efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology.
Fissile Material: Material, such as Uranium-235, that can sustain a nuclear chain reaction.