A nuclear reactor is a man made device in which nuclear chain ractors are initiated, controlled, then sustrined at a steady rate. As long as the nuclear reactions are maintained at a steady rate the risk for explosion is realtively small. Unlike a nuclear bomb whose explosion comes from the chain raction, and being uncontrolled and sustained causing a massive explosion.

The most significant use for nuclear energy is for the generation of electrical power and to power some ships and submarines. The nuclear energy these ships require are made from heat and steam from the nuclear reaction power stream.

There are other less used uses for nuclear reactors and their technology but none that deal with power, or energy so we won’t be covering them.