Preview

Is Nuclear Energy Safe

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
3019 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Is Nuclear Energy Safe
Is Nuclear Energy Safe?
Atomic energy is the released by a nuclear reaction. Nuclear energy is an alternative for things that produce energy like coal, wind, or other natural resources. The use of nuclear energy in the world has had a huge impact on the economic qualities of countries. When countries use nuclear energy they are putting the people in risk of radioactive poison and cancer. Some people argue that nuclear energy is worth the risk if it saves money, but nuclear is too risky because of past accidents, radioactivity, and clean- up costs.
Birth of the Industry Earnest Rutherford split atom in 1917, but the discovery of nuclear fission was discovered by many scientists over five decades of work, but the idea was first thought of by Ida Noddack. After many years of testing the idea of nuclear fission was brought into sight in the 1930 's. Otto Hahn was given credit for the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938. Nuclear fission was discovered in Germany; where Otto Hahn received the Noble Prize for his discovery. Even though it took over 50 years to discover; the actual discovery changed the world.(New York Times)
What does nuclear energy consist of?
Nuclear energy consists of Uranium and sometimes Graphite. Although Uranium 2 is the go to element; Graphite gets hotter. Uranium is used more than Graphite because the atom has an unnecessarily large nucleus. (New York Times) Nuclear power originates from Uranium because the nucleus is larger, so it can handle more heat and give off more power.(EPA)Even though nuclear energy is made of multiple elements Uranium is the most important because it gives off enough heat to power the turbines.
How does nuclear energy work?
The most simple way to explain nuclear power is just a very complicated way to boil water.(New York Times) In the process water is brought in from a natural source and sent to turbines that heat the water rapidly. When the water is heated to the right temperature; the water is the



Cited: Maruki, Toshi. Hiroshima No Pika. New York: Lathrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 1980. Print. “Nuclear Energy.” New York Times 12 Oct 2012, 1. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. <http://www.topics.nytimes.com> Petit Charles. “Nuclear Power- Risking a Comeback.” National Geographic. April 2006: n. page. Print. EPA,. “Nuclear Energy.” Environmental Protection Agency. Print As-Is, 17 10 2012. Web. 4 Mar 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/nuclear.html>. “Nuclear Energy Pros and Cons.” Energy Informative, 2013. Web. 13 Feb.2013. <energyinformative.org/nuclear-energy-pros-and-cons/> Cohnen Jennie,. “History 's Worst Nuclear Disasters” History In the Headlines. History.com. 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. <http://www.history.com/news/historys-worst-nuclear-disasters> GreenPeace,.”Fukushima Disaster.” Greenpeace. Greenpeace, 10 Apr 2011. Web. 6 Mar 2013. <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/nuclear/saftey/accidents/Fukushima-nuclear-disaster/> “Three Mile Island Accident.” world-nuclear.org.N.p.n.d. Web.6 Mar 2013. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/saftey-of-plants/Three- Mile-Island_Accident/> “Chernobyl Accident.” world-nuclear.org.N.p.n.d.Web. 6 Mar 2013.<http://world-nuclear-org/info/saftey-and-security/saftey-of-plants/Chernobyl-Accident/>

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    labouring the Walmart way

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages

    First off all, what is the nuclear? Many countries use nuclear energy to generate electricity. “Unclear is the energy stored in the center or the nucleus of an atom. After we bombard the nucleus into two parts, two different elements are formed along with the emission of high energy. The process generally followed is called fission. Fission is the chain reaction which needs uranium-235.”(“Fission and fusion”)The nuclear energy is considered as the worthiest alternative resource of energy after fossil fuels, but it also has a lot of potential problems.”(“Nuclear Energy”)…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nuclear Ban in New Zealand

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Nuclear power is a radioactive chemical reaction that heats water to steam, that is then generated into electrical energy. It was discovered between 1895-1945 with different ideas, theories and experiments covered over that time, and is still being investigated to the present day. Many countries around the world allow nuclear power and weapons, United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, China, India an North Korea are some of them. Nuclear power is widely depended on to keep some countries running.…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Nuclear Energy

    • 1278 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Gates, Bill. Bill Gates Sees Future in Nuclear Energy. Youtube. 25 Mar. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HxI3-DzPWU>.…

    • 1278 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    A nuclear power plant (NPP) make used of its nuclear power to generate electricity. The expression “nuclear power” is defined as a controlled release of energy by nuclear fission or nuclear fusion reactions (Nuclear Power, 2004, p. 2809). The world’s first exposure to nuclear power came with the detonation of two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 by the army of the United State of America (Nuclear Power, 2004, p. 2809). At that time, scientists believed that the power of nuclear energy can be harnessed for effective use such as the generation of electricity instead of weapons. Currently, there are approximately 430 nuclear reactors devoted to the generation of electricity operating worldwide (Nuclear Power, 2004, p. 2809).…

    • 1794 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ever since the infamous bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, people around the world have been awestruck by both the frightening power of nuclear technology and the amazing potential of that power. Over the years, nuclear technology has diffused throughout world, and many countries, including the United States, have used this knowledge to build/utilize nuclear driven power plants. However, while this technology has been praised for its potential for cheap energy and being relatively environmentally friendly, public concerns over the volatility of nuclear fuel and the potential hazards that accompany any procedural malfunction threaten the future of this revolutionary technology.…

    • 10950 Words
    • 44 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Goodfellow, M. J., Williams, H. R., & Azapagic, A. (2011). Nuclear renaissance, public perception and design criteria: An exploratory review. Energy Policy, 39 (10), 6199-6210.…

    • 2300 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    nuclear power stations

    • 2923 Words
    • 10 Pages

    “Nuclear power”,” nuclear energy” when these terms come to mind, most people usually start thinking of bombs, destruction, terrorism and deformed humans which in fact are the four least occurring things in the nuclear power field. A nuclear power station is simply a thermal power station whereby it uses a nuclear reactor as the heat source. The nuclear power plants produce this electricity though a heat generating process known as fission which will be discussed further in this research paper. Nuclear power plants are usually considered to be base load stations, since fuel is a small part of the cost of production. So, most of all the nuclear energy comes in the form of production of electricity. Nuclear power stations take up of up to 16% of the worlds electricity production which may not seem a lot but when you think of the amount of electricity we use every single day, it may bring out a vivid understanding as to how vital nuclear power is to us all. Nuclear power stations are a growing trend these days mainly because it is much more environmentally friendly than other forms of energy production which clearly does not affect the global warming trend. On the other had if uncontrolled, it can be really fatal which is why it is not a regulated energy source but then again, where would we be without it?…

    • 2923 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nuclear power is an energy source obtained through nuclear fission, a process where neutrons (sub-atomic particles) are smashed into the nuclei of uranium atoms, causing them to split and release energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to turn water into steam to turn turbines, much like in power stations that produce energy from burning fossil fuels, except without the carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to the greenhouse effect and air pollution. The reactors use uranium rods as fuel and each rod can last for several years before needing to be replaced. The map on the right shows the locations of nuclear power stations in the UK, their generating capacity and anticipated closure dates.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the creation of Nuclear weapons, potentially the worst thing that has happened to humanity in it's history, came something with a lot of potential to do good. Nuclear energy is both very clean and very efficient. However there have been many tragic accidents regarding Nuclear energy. Chernobyl is the most notable disaster, currently however we are in the middle of a potential disaster unfolding at Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Facility. Nuclear Energy is relatively safe and incredibly efficient and clean, however when tragedy strikes, it strikes hard.…

    • 381 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Metcalf, Tom And Gena. Fueling the Future Nuclear Power. Farmington Mills: Greenhaven P, 2007. 17-98.…

    • 2467 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As time goes by and the world becomes more advanced technologically, we develop a greater need for energy sources. Most of the fuels that we use today are non-renewable, such as coal and oil. Nuclear power is a source of power which brings many benefits. It is less expensive because it is based on uranium, which is easily accessible. With very little amounts of uranium, great amounts of energy can be produced.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Since the humans use energy sources such as wood, coal, and oil to produce electricity, people want to use better energy sources to produce electricity more. By the mid twentieth century, scientists found the method of making incredible energy by using uranium as nuclear fission. Today there are about 400 nuclear power plants around the world and more than 100 nuclear power plants in United States (Howstuffworks). In addition, nuclear reactors produced a lot of energy and they affected quality life styles by using nuclear energy (Howstuffworks). Nuclear power plants are providing about 17 percent of electricity of the world and several countries generate electricity about more than 50% of their using by nuclear power plant than other countries (Howstuffworks). However, nuclear power plants have a lot of risks such as accidents and radiation pollution and they also effects to people’s health, minds, life styles, and the relationship between countries even though nuclear power plants are beneficial as energy sources. The government and nuclear engineers may need to make stronger and safer nuclear power plants to produce incredible amounts of electricity since nuclear power plants are not safe enough and some terrible nuclear power plants accidents pollute the environment and people’s health.…

    • 1871 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Nuclear energy could be the future of energy and potentially solve the energy crisis problem. Nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source and it can provide millions of times the amount of energy output from a fixed mass of fuel than any other energy source, such as fossil fuel, for the same mass of fuel. Nuclear energy is also very clean for the atmosphere. It produces no greenhouse gases at all. However, nuclear energy can be very harmful to both people and the rest of the natural environment if not managed well. Nuclear meltdowns etc. can release radiation into the atmosphere, which can badly affect cell growth and could result in the deaths of many people and animals, and can destroy the surrounding environment. The same goes for nuclear waste products. The world needs every energy source it can get. Nuclear energy is the most viable source to help us out of the energy crisis, as long as it is well maintained and its technology developed and improved constantly.…

    • 4455 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    * Nuclear energy can be used for production and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons make use of fission, fusion or combination of both reactions for destructive purposes. They are a major threat to the world as they can cause a large-scale devastation.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Our main focus will be on the generation of electricity using nuclear energy in nuclear power plants as it is one of the main peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Electricity is generated using isotopes of certain atoms (elements). Although atoms are tiny, they have a large amount of energy holding their nuclei together. These isotopes can be split and will release part of their energy as heat. This splitting is called fission. A series of fissions is called a chain reaction. This chain reaction creates a great deal of heat, which can be used to help generate electricity.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays