Kyle

Kyle

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1. How nuclear energy is used to solve energy scarcity? =====

It can be used to solve energy scarcity because it doesn't use up any valuable resources, such as fossil fuels. This way we don't have to worry about air pollution, it also produces more energy than fossil fuels.

2. How is nuclear energy produced?
Nuclear energy is produced in nuclear power plants. This is done when uranium is placed in metal tubes called fuel rods, the tubes are then placed in water. The Uranium atoms then capture neutrons and split into lighter elements and neutrons. This causes a lot of heat energy to be produced, evaporating the water and creating clouds. The clouds then push the turbines of the generators that produce electricity.

a) What is nuclear fission?

Nuclear fission is when neutrons bombard uranium atoms and cause them to break apart, which causes lots of heat.



b) How is nuclear energy used to generate electricity?

After nuclear fission happens and the heat is produced, the water changes into water vapor and pushes the turbines to generate electricity on its was out.



3. What are the advantages and limitations of nuclear energy?
Pros: Cons:
 * Produces energy without using up as many valuable resources as other methods
 * Produces a lot of electricity
 * Produces nuclear waste
 * If a reactor goes critical then it can be a very large health hazard to anything that lives there for many years.
 * Nuclear waste takes millions of years to break down.
 * High initial investment.
 * how much to invest?

Limitations:
 * Depends on uranium price and availability.

4. How does nuclear radiation affect the environment?
It can heat up water around it which can be harmful to marine life in the area. This is because less oxygen can reside in hot water so the fish have trouble breathing. Also they may be unaccustomed to the different temperature. Also if there is a nuclear meltdown then that can effect everything within a certain area for many years. This can be harmful to plant, animal, and human health. This can cause cancer due to cellular damage, it can also cause other health concerns, such as burns.

5. How does nuclear radiation affect health?
There are two types of health effects that radiation can cause, those are stochastic and non stochastic health effects. Stochastic health effects happen over long periods of time with exposure to radiation. The most well known of health effects related to radiation is cancer. Cancer is a stochastic health effect. A non stochastic health effect happens when you are exposed to high levels of radiation for short periods of time. Radiation poisoning is one of these effects. The way that radiation causes cancer is that it destroys cells. When cells are destroyed there is a slight chance that a cancer cell will replace them. Radiation poisoning can be used to assassinate people, like what happened to Alexander Litvinenko. This was through internal exposure to a radiation source, this can lead to a slow and incredibly painful death.

Vocabulary: Isotop Nuclear Chain Reaction Nuclear Fission Enriched

Isotops of Helium - Helium atoms with same number of protons but different number of neutrons.

Bibliography:

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/energytechnology/nuclearenergy/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/236518-radiation-effects-on-the-environment/

http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/health_effects.html