The Nuclear Of Nuclear Power

“Even when nuclear energy is produced without incident, the science itself creates vast quantities of toxic waste, which is impossible to discard” (Dupea, n. pag.). Because of the fact that there is no way to safely dispose of nuclear energy and waste, many issues have arose. There are many more safe and more reliable sources and ways to produce energy that involves less risks. Countries need to eliminate the use of nuclear energy due to the problems it causes. Some of the largest issues with nuclear energy are the building process of nuclear power plants is expensive and time consuming, there are many safety concerns and the potential risks to people and the environment.

Energy consumption has become a necessity and an important part of our daily life in the past 10 years. It seems that the world is looking for an energy source that is cleaner, cheaper and more efficient and since nuclear energy has emerged it has become the forerunner for alternative energy sources. ‘As of 2004, nuclear power provided 6.5% of the world's energy and 15.7% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for 57% of nuclear generated electricity’ (‘Nuclear energy facts’ 2007). Nuclear energy can be a doubled edged sword as it can be used for peaceful uses or used to manufacture weapons of mass destruction which can put the world in danger. As more countries begin to

The process of nuclear energy is very confusing. It all starts at the earth's crust where the uranium is mined. Uranium is an nonrenewable resource. The uranium is taken to a power plant. Every nuclear power power plants uses fission. Fission is the process of splitting atoms into two. The difference between fission and fusion is that, fission splits atoms, and fusion combines atoms. Since all the power is stored in the nucleus of an atom, when the atoms split they release strong amounts of energy and heat. Although there

A pellet of nuclear fuel wegights roughly 0.1 ounces, but yet has the same amount of energy as a ton of coal (Lüsted,2013). Such a small portion of nuclear fuel can produce a magnificent impact.. This strong energy alternative must be closely analyzed to predict the future of its ability. There are many functions taken into account that allows a nuclear power plant to operate properly.

While some say nuclear power is risky, the facts prove otherwise. Nuclear energy is often treated as a taboo subject due to misconceptions throughout history by the public, but in actuality, nuclear energy is relatively safe, when practiced correctly. Nuclear energy is a process in which atoms are split, producing heat, which boils water. The steam then turns a turbine to produce electricity. While fission is involved in nuclear bombs, the process in each are both different. The ‘fuel’ used for this process is Uranium-235, an isotope of uranium. Nuclear energy, contrary to popular belief, does not describe the horrible power of nuclear explosive, but the calculated, safe procedure of releasing the fundamental power of the atom. The pros of nuclear energy firmly outweigh the cons of the issue. If the people responsible for the facilities that the energy is produced in follow safety procedures the cons are nearly reduced to nothing. Not only is it a completely green energy source, but the power output is immense, and uranium is such a common material that is used so infrequently means that it will last for an extremely long time.

Nuclear power is energy that is produced as a result of a nuclear reaction, either one of two types, fission or fusion. The type that is used is fission because fusion is almost impossible to achieve due the conditions needed to have the reaction occur. One place where it is known that fusion can take place is the sun. When one thinks of nuclear power, they think radiation, however not all nuclear reactions emit radiation. The reason why all nuclear power is radioactive is due to the fact that radioactive elements, especially uranium, is used because of it is the easiest to produce a nuclear fission reaction because it is a large element and it is harder to split smaller elements such as oxygen or fluorine. Nuclear fission was discovered by a team of German researchers at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin on the eve of World War II.

Nuclear energy through the use of uranium and fission has created an inexhaustible and powerful method of energy production. The like of which that challenges the power of suns and stars. As powerful as nuclear power may be the potential for nuclear fission was not known until the physicist, Enrico Fermi, discovered the reaction of uranium molecules in 1934. With only a short time period of 82 years the advancements of nuclear energy not only have made it safer, but, much more efficient. "Nuclear power is an efficient and volatile method of creating electricity using controlled nuclear fission, or, less commonly, nuclear fusion. Most nuclear power plants create energy by submerging uranium molecules in water and then inducing fission in the molecules." (Rich and Warhol). Nuclear power is the future of energy production and is one of the most powerful energy sources known to man. Fusion being the process of combining particles to create massive amounts of energy, and

Despite the fear of nuclear disasters and proliferation of nuclear weapons, the 435 nuclear power reactors around the world produce approximately 16 percent of the world’s electricity and 19 percent of electricity in the United States (WIT, 2013). In a world increasingly affected by global warming, with increasing energy consumption, it is important to acknowledge that nuclear power is a safe, clean, reliable, and sustainable source of energy, unlike our presumptions. This paper analyzes potential risks and benefits of nuclear power as a fuel source and why the United States should continue nuclear power production.

On September 26th, Doctor Robert McTaggart came in and spoke to us about nuclear energy. Nuclear energy uses the heat produced from nuclear transformations and reactions to power turbines which create energy. A majority of the time, nuclear plants run off the fission of one of three elements: Uranium 235, Uranium 233, or Plutonium 239. Something else that Dr. McTaggart said that really stuck with me was that fissile isotopes like U-235 give off more energy than is put into the system. Currently in the US, nuclear power makes up 8.3% of our country’s total energy and all of the energy produced goes towards the electric power sector, where it makes up 22% of the total amount of electric power.

Nuclear energy is defined by the website ‘ofnuclearenergy.com’ as the energy within the nucleus of an atom. Atoms are the smallest particles in a material that can be broken down. At the core of each atom there are two types of particles (neutrons and protons) that are held together. Nuclear energy is the energy that holds neutrons and protons together. Nuclear energy can be used to produce electricity. This energy can be released in two ways: nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. This is how the sun produces energy. In nuclear fission, atoms are split into smaller atoms, releasing energy. Nuclear power plants can only use nuclear fission to produce electricity. I believe that nuclear power has both positive and negative effects.

Nuclear energy was first introduced into the world when Admiral Rickover decided that there should be a new way to power submarines. They were successful in launching a nuclear-powered submarine in 1954. This new idea of using nuclear power was starting to arise in the 60s and 70s when they made their first nuclear reactor. Even France decided that it was time to propel their society into nuclear powered energy which is now powering 75% of their electricity (Touran, 2013). Nuclear energy has acquired a large amount of attraction, the beginning of a new future awaits the people of the United States; One filled with eco-friendly energy and the construction of a world filled with nuclear energy. People across the United States are starting

Humanity is at a critical point in its history. Sea levels have risen by around three millimeters per year since 1993 (“Sea Level"), and atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are measured at 399.3 parts per million (ppm) as of November 2014 ("Carbon Dioxide"). This is particularly shocking when one considers that over the past 800,000 years, carbon dioxide fluctuations have stayed between 180 and 300 ppm (Smol). Global average temperature, the central focus of climate change, has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. In fact, the current century has seen ten of the warmest years on record ("News and Features") These and other statistics are all commonly attributed to human activity and industrialization. Furthermore, the world population will continue to grow, and third-world countries will begin to develop in the coming years, thus adding millions more people in need of electricity. Progressions such as these emphasize the need for a cleaner and more sustainable source of energy to replace fossil fuels.

Nuclear power is one of the most controversial forms of energy in the modern world; the destructive power of nuclear armaments has led to worldwide fear of nuclear energy. But as scientific communities continue to learn more about nuclear power, as well as ways to make it more practical in the competitive energy market, it may soon see an increase in its use in the United States. Consequently, several major problems with nuclear energy need to be evaluated by the U.S., and potential improvements to these issues recognized. First, a finite supply of fuel and a strong energy market to compete with necessitate improvements to the efficiency of energy production in nuclear plants. Subsequently, fuel that has been used in a reactor, now

Various energy resources are capable of generating waste that can be decomposed after several years, such as carbon emissions. However, nuclear energy damages the earth to an extent that could remain for several million years. Energy resources such as carbon emissions are decomposable after several years, yet nuclear energy appears to produce the greatest amount of damaging effects to this planet. Nuclear waste can remain deadly on earth’s surface for millions of years. Many citizens may have some form of knowledge on nuclear energy, but are not well informed about it. This form of energy is known to come from the separation of atoms from a particular element in turn releasing a form of energy. These small microscopic atoms may seem harmless however, when creating this form of energy it produces what is known as radiation. When this energy is produced radioactive waste follows, which in turn, can be incredibly hazardous for humans, animals, and plant life. This energy can pose as a threat, especially when the radioactive waste is not disposed of properly contaminating the surrounding environment. Nuclear power plants require a great deal of labor, expenditures, as well as upkeep. When considering nuclear energy as a valuable source of energy, one must consider the various disadvantages including possible environmental threats, potential malfunction or failure, and constructing expenses as well as maintenance.

In the summer of 1962 the USSR deployed nuclear missiles into Cuba for a number of different reasons. With the constant threat of the USA’s nuclear weapons in Turkey and the knowledge that they were nuclear superior to themselves Khrushchev had to make a decision to try and restore the nuclear balance between the super powers. In addition to this it was felt that the USSR had to defend its communist ally from invasion from the USA who were keen to eliminate their leader Fidel Castro. When the nuclear missiles were deployed to Cuba this held a direct threat to the national security of the USA as now Russia’s nuclear weapons were capable of striking some of America’s largest cities. With tension growing the threat of a nuclear war became