Nuclear Energy Research Paper

What is Nuclear Energy? That is a very good question. First off there are many different types of Nuclear Energy, they include radiation, Nuclear Warfare, and Nuclear Power. In this essay I will be covering all three. But to understand Nuclear Energy we must first understand atoms how work and how they were discovered. Our journey begins in Ancient Greece during 400 B.C where philosopher Democritus developed the first ever ideas of the atom. He asked what happens if you break a piece of matter in half and then break it in half again, how many breaks will you have to make before you cannot break it any further? Democritus thought is eventually had to be unbreakable. He finally concluded that at some point there is the smallest bit of matter and he called these basic particles atoms. Today we know that Atoms contain protons, neutrons, electrons, and a nucleus. The nucleus is in the center of the atom. It is so small that its diameter is 100,000 times smaller than its atom. Electrons float around the nucleus and determine the chemistry of an atom. Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that the word atom comes from the Ancient Greek term “Atumos” which means uncutable or can’t be split? When it comes to Nuclear Power there are a lot of advantages and disadvantages. One of the best advantages it there are no fossil fuels being burned. This thus results in less air pollution. There are also economic advantages as well, because fossil fuels can be a great alternative energy source. Let’s not forget that there are many disadvantages as well. Making Nuclear power is very complex and extremely dangerous which causes for expensive security precautions. In 1986 in the Ukraine a nuclear reactor melted down resulting in numerous deaths and long term radiation effects. It is considered as one of the world’s worst nuclear catastrophes ever. It shed light to how dangerous nuclear power can be when not properly monitored and controlled. To make nuclear power, atoms must first