Taking a Look at Nuclear Power

On December 2, 1942, the first man-made nuclear reactor reached criticality. Fast forward 75 years from that day and we can see nuclear power research and development is still maintaining momentum. That is because the potential of nuclear power has shown itself in currently operating power plants. This paper will explore the history and background of nuclear reactors, how it works, its strengths and weaknesses, while touching on their effect on the United States today.

The steam spun the wheel of the turbine with a Whoosh. The ecstasy of finding a new energy source is ineffable, and when found, the discovery always immediately prompts a race to use this newfound source. In accordance with this behavior, many sought to integrate nuclear power into society upon its development. The difference being nuclear energy is far more complicated and powerful than anything the field of energy has dealt with thus far. There are two types of nuclear reactions, fission and fusion; working reactors only using fission currently. In fission a neutron reacts with Uranium-235 to produce energy, two fragment nuclei, and multiple neutrons to continue the reaction. Meanwhile, in fusion two hydrogen isotopes react to produce energy, protons, neutrons, and Helium. As a consequence of these processes ' complex and formidable natures, there is a hesitance to their utilization as it is difficult to discuss the complexities of the procedures with the public without some misinterpretation. Despite the benefits found in nuclear power, it still undergoes harsh debate as governments oppose giving money to such an unexplored area of science. Yet, an increase in funding for U.S. nuclear programs would prompt advancements that replace less effective energy sources, creating opportunities for specialization in the field.

Nuclear power is a bad way to make more energy. What exactly is nuclear power? Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat. Nuclear power is an substandard way to make energy because nuclear power releases radioactive material and dangerous chemical elements such as plutonium, nuclear power has serious health/safety concerns and accidents keep occurring, and there are so many other energy sources that are less expensive besides nuclear power like natural gas, coal and oil.

At this point, it may seem like nuclear power is just a slightly more dangerous method of producing electricity than a more commonly used method like coal-burning. However, environmental impact and efficiency are the areas where nuclear power shines the brightest. Feiveson (2009), a self-titled skeptic of nuclear power, wrote, “Compared to coal-generated electricity in particular, it [nuclear power] is relatively clean, producing almost no emissions” (p. 60). Because turning water into steam is the main method of producing electricity with nuclear power, it is apparent why nuclear power plants do not release very many toxins into the environment. Harrison, Hester, & Walls (2011) stated that during the normal functioning of a nuclear power

The only two nuclear weapons ever used in history killed an estimated 226,000 people.These two bombs are a prime example of the fact that nuclear power is dangerous and should not be handled carelessly.Not only are nuclear weapons dangerous,but nuclear power plants and reactors are also a threat to the human race.Nuclear power provides about 11 percent of the world’s electricity every year which means we can not completely get rid of it due to the amount of energy it produces.On the other hand nuclear weapons are dangerous and do not help the human race in any way therefore they should all be destroyed and never used again.Not only will nuclear weapons eventually wipe out the human race,but there are also huge effects to the environment that

Much of the public is weary of nuclear energy because of past events, though they know very little about how it works or the safety measures that accompany it. A large power plant and the knowledge that one just like it melted down causing mass panic across the globe is enough to put any person on edge. Instead of scrapping the idea of nuclear power all together, researchers have come up with safer and smaller reactors that should be able to calm the public’s worries. Nuclear power has too many benefits to give up on the idea fully. Large nuclear plants are where many of the fears about nuclear energy have stemmed; new advancements and technologies, however, have emerged that could quell many of the concerns of the public. Small modular reactors

According to the U.S. Energy Administratin, “By 2030, electricity demand in the U.S. is expected to grow by 21% from its current level” (Candris). The population increase of the United States and other developing countries is causing a need for cleaner energy. There are many alternatives that are already in use today that show that the technology is possible. Wind, solar, hydroelectric, and natural gas are all alternatives that can provide energy in a much more efficient and clean way. However, these alternatives do not come close to the energy that can be produced by nuclear power. The past events have shown that nuclear power follows more of the necessities that other resources do not follow now. Despite monetary costs and increased

Nuclear power is a very broad field that is compromised by many aspects of science including physics and chemistry. It was discovered in the early 1900s. It is a power source widely used by the United States due to the shear amount of energy that can be created from just two atoms. Nuclear fission, the most widely used form of nuclear power, creates incredible amounts energy incredibly efficiently and due to this it is actually really popular. Nuclear power is hailed to be eco-friendly but it is argued that the radioactive wastes and the constant potential for something to go wrong is too great a risk to the environment and people.

Nuclear power is a very intriguing alternative energy source. I find that the more that I learn about nuclear power, the more I realize that my knowledge has just skimmed the surface of what there is to know about the energy source. The most surprising fact about nuclear power that Mycle Schneider mentioned in one of his interviews was that all nuclear reactors have a life expectancy. On average, the typical nuclear reactor has an operational design basis of approximately 40 years. As of right now, the average age of all operational nuclear reactors worldwide is approximately 28.5 years old. This means that within the next decade, we could begin to see the majority of these nuclear plants being decommissioned. Therefore, when the time comes,

After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, nuclear power was once again brought into the spotlight with one burning question: Is it worth the risks? Well, I believe it is, and that we can avoid those risks altogether if we do it properly. One of our biggest upcoming problems is climate change, and with solar and wind power not able to provide enough clean power, nuclear is the safe, reliable, realistic, and clean option.

Nuclear energy is not the most talked about debate, but one of the most important because of the impact it has on the future of the earth. It has grown to be one of the leading sources of energy in Europe. The U.S. does not use nuclear energy as much, but are looking to add ore nuclear power plants. The way nuclear energy is formed is through a long process that starts by splitting an atom. The first people to do so were the German scientists, Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn. After their study along with other scientists, the first nuclear power plant was made. Though most reasons for nuclear energy are positive, the negative outcomes are costly, resulting in death, debt, and destruction.

Energy is an essential aspect of life that has influenced human research for generations. The pursuit for sources of energy has lead to human dependency on fossil fuels and other sources such as coal. These energy resources were useful but they are slowly depleting and aren’t a long-term resource. With this in mind humans have sought for improved forms of energy; this has lead to many new forms of energy and innovations. An energy resource that was discovered was Nuclear Energy. Nuclear energy has made its way into the demographic of human energy resources. Do the benefits of nuclear energy out weigh the risk and cost? Can this form of energy uphold against scrutiny based on its negative effects and if so is it a long-term resource? Nuclear energy has advanced significantly but with this progression there are many risks, risks that may cause the future of nuclear energy use to be unclear. Throughout my research I discovered the types of nuclear reactions that are developed in order to create nuclear energy, consumption levels of nuclear energy has increased in recent years in areas such as the USA, the hazards that are always associated with nuclear energy, the amount of capital needed to create the essential environment for production, maintenance of these environments, storing of the products produced by nuclear reactions and expert based opinions on nuclear power’s effect on the world and its future as an energy source.

Now onto how a nuclear power plant works. First, when a nuclear power plant is built it has to be built near a massive body of water because the plants take in massive amounts of water. Once the plant has been established, they need to enrich uranium which is where the plant makes its power. Additionally, with the uranium there are control rods which control the nuclear reactions when inserted they stop the reaction when they are pulled out they let the reaction go full guns. Now with a few of the basics

Fission (Sec. 1.2.1)- The energy that is used for heat or electricity comes from a nuclear power plant. In a nutshell, the energy comes from the reaction of uranium atoms splitting and giving off energy. The uranium atom is spilt in half by protons. To cool down this reaction, CO2 or water is pumped throughout the reactor. The cooling down makes steam, and this steam drives a generator that creates

With global temperatures increasing and climate change controversies arising, the world seeks a clean, reliable energy source; could nuclear energy be the answer? Due to massive amounts of carbon dioxide emitted into the air by our main energy provider, the coal power plant, society is yearning for a cleaner form of energy. Nuclear power plants release minimal amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Nuclear energy, in the public eye, has a bad reputation because of accidents that have occurred in recent history (Fukushima, Three Mile Island, and Chernobyl). With the current climate crisis in full effect, the thought of nuclear energy has been revived. Society has become so dumbfounded by global warming that nuclear energy is being perceived as the apparent solution. The idea that nuclear energy should replace fossil fuels and coal as our main energy source is downright blasphemous. Nuclear energy shouldn’t be used because it’s dangerous, dirty, and immensely expensive and time consuming to start; therefore, the drawbacks greatly outweigh the benefits of nuclear energy.