The Effects Of Uranium On Society

Throughout the essay, I felt that Muller’s argument in his essay was weak after his my confession paragraph. It was a bit odd because Muller doesn’t seem like he holds his case as strongly as before. He seemed like he was strongly against nuclear waste but he doesn’t state how we should address this problem. I think it was interesting that the author did not have a very clear position at all. It is clear that he dislikes nuclear waste, especially when he presents his case and pinpoints the facts with great persuasion. However, he didn’t really mention what he feels that we should do about the case. Muller doesn’t address all of society’s unanswered questions such as how society should go about doing with nuclear waste. He only tells the readers what he thinks of politicians and scientists’ point of

Not since the 1980's has a recent surge of uranium mining claims occured in the Four Corners region. Energy Fuel Resources Inc. has placed its Canyon Mine on standby and expects to resume shaft sinking operations December of next year, when an official court ruling is made and depending on market conditions.

Urainum-238 has a half-life of around 4.5 billion years, meaning that half the atoms in any sample will decay in that amount of time (4.5 billion years). Uranium-238 emits alpha particles which are less powerful than other forms of radiation, and weak gamma rays. As long as it remains outside the body, uranium poses little health

An example is that nuclear power emits more energy than fossil fuels. In an article called “The Pro and Cons of Nuclear Power”, Jeremy Smith states that Uranium, which is used to make nuclear energy, can produce 20,000 times as much energy than fossil fuels (2011). This means that a small amount of Uranium would be used to make an abundant amount of energy. On the other hand, the process of acquiring the Uranium may be more dangerous that predicted. According to Jeremy Smith, uranium mining exposes workers to radium, a highly radioactive element, which then turns into radon gas. “Radon gas… can expose workers and nearby communities to an array of health risks like lung cancer, bone cancer and lymphoma” (Smith 2011). In conclusion, although uranium gives an immense amount of energy, it would not be worth it if thousands of workers become ill and possibly die.

Naturally forming uranium undergoes radioactive decay by emission of an alpha particle and gamma radiation. As the decay continues, it releases radiation.This is an extreme health issue that, in large amounts, can cause cancer and liver damage.

　　　　On contrast, opponents hold different conceptions, they do not regard nuclear energy as a green and clean source of energy. According to Ross(2007), a news director for the National Urban League, fuel rods at every nuclear plant leak radioactive and harmful gases to atmosphere, and it is collectively releasing millions of curies annually. As a matter of fact, the essential raw material for nuclear nuclear power is uranium, which is a dangerous radioactive element. Opponents also claims that uranium tailing which is byproduct of the procession of getting energy are being inappropriately disposed, which make the situation even worse. On the other hand, after the tragedies of nuclear energy in Chernobyl, three mile island and other district, some people have become more and more impregnable to believe the nuclear energy is dangerous. Dr.

One of Uranium’s largest environmental impacts is the quality and quantity of surface water near Uranium mines. Once Uranium is extracted from mills, a significant amount of Uranium products are released into rivers and lakes. This significantly increases the concentration of Uranium in surface water. Radon, a product produced from the decaying of Uranium, if consumed by the animals, can create serious lung and stomach issues. Inhaling radon has a similar effect. Uranium, once the material dissolves into the soil, can also significantly influence the soil quality in a given area. Soil, after this process, can’t provide moisture for plant growth and many underground living organisms die. Considering the Olympic Dam Mine is next to a large river, these issues are occurring more and more near the

The use of autonomous and robotic systems (drones, hexapod, and rovers), will be implemented to do research on radiation contamination levels on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. Accordingly, uranium (U) mining occurred on the Navajo Reservation for over 40 years (1944-1986) where over 30 million tons were extracted on Navajo Territory. To clarify, uranium is a metal element found in different parts of the universe, having the characteristics of nuclear energy that emits radiation. However, due to the slow process of radioactive decay, radiation contamination is harmful to the environment, and the general population when in contact causing harmful life-threatening illnesses. In addition, radioactive decay lasts for several years, to billions of years. Consequently, contamination has left over 500 abandoned mines, homes, and drinking water with elevated levels of radiation on the Navajo Reservation. In contrast, contamination results in lung cancer, bone cancer, and impaired kidney function from exposure in radionuclides in drinking water. The use of

The 9/11 attacks were among the deadliest attacks ever committed against the United States, whereby nearly 3,000 people where killed instantly. Yet what’s more shocking is that these atrocities were committed without the use of nuclear material. Fear of biochemical nuclear waste attack and its potential to cause unimaginable harm are among the biggest concerns in the nation. As a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley Richard Muller, in his article entitled “Nuclear Waste” addresses the topic of nuclear waste and its storage at Yucca Mountain. Muller argues that society should question the validity of information being presented as it pertains to the safety of nuclear waste. He supports this notion by highlighting the rigorous process involved in safely transporting nuclear waste, while noting that demanding100% safety in life is impossible. Muller presents his arguments in a cohesively well construct tone, supported with statistics and a touch of sarcasm thus lending to credibly to the information. Ultimately, Muller’s purpose is to inform the average reader of the true dangers associated with nuclear waste, while highlighting human’s exposure to natural occurring nuclear waste as well as exploring logical ways of safely securing these byproducts. Consequently, Muller challenges his readers to not let the fears of the unknown get in the way of being able to make sound judgment as it would lead to

Did you know that there are multiple types of uranium? The team of scientists who worked on the first atomic bomb used the “advanced” type U 235 instead of U 238. Many scientists worked on the bomb, but not many of them received credit. The project was called “Manhattan Project” which was based in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The people who helped with the Manhattan Project explored uranium, in result they exchanged many lives to win a war.

When the words “nuclear chemistry” come to mind, many mixed emotions surface. On one side, a picture of devastated cities that were flattened by a bomb capable of freezing the shadows of people on the streets comes to mind. And the other picture: harnessing exponential amounts of energy, saving lives, and defeating cancer once and for all. No matter what stance is taken, the Atomic Age has both turned people against each other, but also has provided grounds for defeating a disease that hits each and every one of us at home, and that disease is cancer. When weighing the pros and cons of the Atomic Age, the pros clearly outweigh the cons. This era has brought upon clean, reusable energy, medical advancements beyond our dreams, and a better understanding of invisible radiation.

Uranium was discovered by Martin Klaproth in 1789. Klaproth was a German Chemist that discovered Uranium in a mineral call pitchblende. It was named after Uranus, the planet, which had been discovered eight years earlier. Uranium occurs in most rocks in concentrations of 2 to 4 parts per million and is common in the Earth’s crust. This highly density element is used in keels of yachts and as counterweights for aircraft control surfaces, as well as for radiation shielding. This element principal uses is in fuel for nuclear reactors and the main raw material for nuclear weapons. Depleted uranium is the waste product of uranium enrichment in nuclear reactors. It is the residue left in massive quantities when bomb-grade uranium is

“A tiny speck of plutonium-239, as little as three millionths of a gram, can cause lung cancer. One pound of plutonium-239 contains enough specks to kill nine billion people instantly” (Pringle 26). Plutonium-239 is a human-made element, also known as the most dangerous substance on earth. As a by-product of uranium fission, plutonium-239 is created by generating electricity from nuclear sources. Contrary to popular belief, nuclear energy is hazardous and threatening to health. The use of nuclear energy should be banned as evidenced by the number of accidents, health effects, and global impact.

Nuclear energy is the energy released by a nuclear reaction, it uses fuel made from mined and processed uranium to generate heat and electricity. It is the world’s largest emission free energy source. Nuclear energy also has the lowest impact on the environment than other energy sources. But it can still be very harmful because of the radiation is causes and the radioactive waste it produces. Radioactive wastes are the ruins of nuclear materials that are used in providing nuclear energy. These wastes contain high levels of radiation that can be very hazardous to humans and the environment. Some people accept and support the idea of using nuclear energy and others don’t. In the following paragraphs, some major nuclear accidents and the public acceptance of nuclear energy will be discussed.

It is not until recently that people have become dependent on this element, and not necessarily for the good of it, and the world. There is an obsession with uranium because of its unique properties. Uranium is extremely powerful because of its radioactive properties and unstable nuclei, especially that of Uranium-235. It is able to break down and release high frequency radiation through alpha and beta decay. It is because of these characteristics that Uranium has such a craze on the population of the world (Cox, 1995; Scerri, 2007). The properties of uranium allow people to create powerful plants to produce electricity, and weapons strong enough to destroy the world.