Nuclear Energy : An Untapped Potential

Nuclear energy is gathered by the process of splitting uranium atoms. By splitting these atoms, there is some mass loss, and this mass can then be used as energy. This process is called fission. The heat from this fission is used to turn water into steam, and this steam turns the turbine generator in a reactor, which produces energy. Nuclear power plants have many advantages when compared to other renewable energy sources.

There are many power sources that can be utilized for our everyday lives; to heat our homes , run our toasters, and light our hallways. Most of that power either directly or indirectly comes form the sun(such as solar energy and fossil fuels). But one energy source that derived by the pure ingenuity of man is nuclear power. As with all power sources there are positive and negative externalities. For example: the burning of fossil fuel releases SOX and NOX into the air which can cause harm to the health of humans ie. negative externality. But what is the the environmental effect of using nuclear energy? What is the cost of extracting all this energy from so little?

Firstly, the usage of nuclear power is consistent and plentiful. As we know, the reaction of nuclear can emit a great power of energy, it can support vast of families’ and enormous plants’ working. In addition, unlike solar energy and wind power, which depend on external factors, nuclear power is consistent generate at anytime and anywhere. Secondly, since the nuclear power is easy to produce and it also can generate a huge amount of power, it is much cheaper to use it. What’s more, like Hill’s saying, “with the cost of natural gas and oil soaring”, the nuclear plants have return back to work and produce massive energy. Lastly, nuclear power benefits to environment: not only because it does not produce the carbon emissions, which can alleviates the global warming; but also it reduces the noxious byproducts, like sulfur dioxide, which is main reason of air pollution. Therefore, using the nuclear power is an ideal energy resource for human

Nuclear power is a much greener option than others, and can help prevent the devastating effects of fossil fuels on the environment. Burning fossil fuels releases thousands of tons of GHGs (greenhouse gasses) into the air that cause a variety of serious environmental problems. The emissions cause global warming which leads to the melting of polar ice caps and the raising of oceans. This also causes acid rain and air pollution which pollutes water sources, accelerates erosion and damages ecosystems (Pacific

The advantage of of Nuclear Power is that it doesn’t depend on fossil fuels and is not affected by the erratic oil and gas prices. Coal and natural gas in other power plants emit carbon dioxide, whereas nuclear power plants emit minimal carbon dioxide. Nuclear fission produces a million times more energy per unit weight than fossil fuel alternatives.

Nuclear power is achieved through fission; the splitting of an atom. Usually, the atom is uranium, the ninety-second element on the periodic table. One of the heavier elements, uranium is unstable and produces an extreme amount of energy when split (Reynoldson 5). Other elements like plutonium can also be used, but plutonium is very rare which results in the majority of nuclear

Nuclear energy is the process of creating useful heat and electricity. The nuclear power debate is a controversy about the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes. The debate over the expansion of the nuclear energy program has been prominent over the last 4 decades. The debate really escalated during the 1970s and 1980s, when it "reached an intensity unprecedented in the history of technology controversies", in some countries. It is important for the expansion of human life and improving life as we know it. I firmly believe that we need to keep using and expand the use of nuclear energy due to the fact that it eliminates fossil fuel pollutants, it is sustainable and cost effective, and it improves overall human quality of life.

The way that nuclear energy is able to produce power is that since atoms make up everything and the denser the nucleus of an atom is the stronger the atom is. The energy that is inside of the nucleus is Nuclear Energy. So when we use a process to split the atoms, the energy within those atoms is released. This produces more energy than our more commonly used fossil fuels because it's nucleus is denser so when it is split the energy is much greater.

The benefits for the United States to convert to a higher percent of the energy generated by a nuclear power far outweigh the

The first reason why Nuclear Power can be beneficial is that by building a Nuclear Power Plant, it will bring several jobs to the community. The jobs that will be brought to the community will not only be jobs inside the Plant, but there will be construction jobs, engineering jobs, electricians, heavy machinery workers, and many more.

Nuclear fission is the process commonly referred to as splitting the atom, a process first achieved by a Kiwi, Ernest Rutherford in 1918, when he fired naturally occurring alpha particles into nitrogen gas. The fission that nuclear power plants use to make electricity involves using neutrons (which were first predicted to exist by Rutherford) to split a large atom into two smaller atoms, a process that releases a large amount of energy. As we studied in nuclear and Atomic physics this year and last year, Rutherford had great contributions to the discovery of Nuclear Power, as he was the first person to split the atom, as well as the first person to imply that an atom has Positive, Negative as well as Neutral particles.

Nuclear power plants have a high energy density compared to fossil fuels. Nuclear energy requires much less fuel than other sources of energy. The greatest benefit of nuclear power is that is doesn't rely on the rapid change of oil and gas prices: “It doesn’t rely on fossil fuels and isn’t influenced by fluctuating oil and gas costs” (Conserve- Energy- Future). Overall, the efficiency of nuclear power plants is greater than the efficiency of fossil fuels. It uses less fuel causing less pollution, has a higher density of energy, and it is the most persistent source of

The world as we know today is dependent on energy. The options we have currently enable us to produce energy economically but at a cost to the environment. As fossil fuel source will be diminishing over time, other alternatives will be needed. An alternative that is presently utilized is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is currently the most efficacious energy source. Every time the word ‘nuclear’ is mentioned, the first thought that people have is the devastating effects of nuclear energy. Granting it does come with its drawbacks; this form of energy emits far less pollution than conventional power plants. Even though certain disadvantages of nuclear energy are devastating, the advantages contain even greater rewards.

On this assignment we are going to research all energy sources and their drawbacks, we are also going to explore on some the negative ramifications that even the clean hydropower have, additionally we are going to weigh those against the possible consequences of developing nuclear power, a controversial alternative to fossil fuels. We will discuss the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster as well as the 20th century Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in drawing conclusions about risk versus reward of nuclear energy use.

Getting energy from nuclear reactions is a well-established science, tracing back to the discovery of radioactive elements, and eventually to harnessing the energy within those reactions for human needs. The basis of nuclear power is the use of nuclear fission to generate heat, which changes water into steam, and powers a turbine. Nuclear fission is related to radioactive decay, which was discovered in the late 1800s by Henri Becquerel and furthered by Marie and Pierre Curie. Nuclear fission itself was the work of Enrico Fermi – a physicist from Italy. Fermi would later help create the first self-sustaining chain reaction on the grounds of the University of Chicago in 1942. The understanding of nuclear fission and the ability to create chain reactions would lead to the Manhattan Project, culminating in the dropping of two nuclear bombs over Japan at the end of World War II. The technology would later be adapted into more peaceful purposes such as generating energy. Nuclear fission works by bombarding the radioactive element – usually uranium, but sometimes plutonium – with neutrons. When the neutron hits the element, it will split into two lighter atoms, releasing more neutrons, and energy. Those