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Nuclear Energy Argumentative Essay

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[Thesis] Thus, nuclear energy should be the number one supplier of energy in the United States.
[Statement of Facts] Nuclear energy is a misunderstood topic due to the widespread negative stigma of it being associated with men in orange hazmat suits dealing with radioactive chemicals, however, it is a relatively easy process to understand. Nuclear energy goes under the chemical process known as nuclear fission, where an atom becomes split into two elements: krypton and barium. This splitting causes an additional neutron to split, resulting in a chain reaction. This chain reaction provides an abundance of energy, in a dense form. This whole process is done in fuel rods, which are submerged in water. Due to this chemical process, the water is heated and emits steam, which creates pressure enabling the turbines to move. This movement converts the chemical energy to electrical energy, thus providing …show more content…

According to World Nuclear, the amount of waste each person would generate when utilizing nuclear energy would be 39.5 grams per year. This is far less than coal and natural gas, which produces an average of 10,000 kilograms of Co2/per person each year. That is the equivalent of 7 U.S quarters.
In regards to the Chernobyl accident, the meltdown was caused by a flawed design of its nuclear reactor. It was human error that caused the disaster to occur, not the process of generating the electricity. As a result of the disaster, nuclear power plants were forced to enforce guidelines and implemented safety precautions to protect the employees and workers; these include: improved structure and design, monthly routine check-ups, and stricter enforcement of protocols to ensure safety. With a total of 16,000 properly functioning nuclear reactors over 33 countries, the idea of a threat has decreased

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