Frida

__Frida__ =Science Nuclear Essay= Frida 7A

//Introduction//
Nuclear energy is a major power source, it produces a lot of energy, but it also have negative impacts on both humans, animals and nature. Since we are running out of fossil fuels to produce electricity, and our population is increasing fast, Nuclear energy is basically the only solution. There are other energy sources, such as wind and solar energy, but that wouldn't be enough for 10 billion people. Therefore, nuclear energy is the choice since it produces a lot of electricity. But, it is one of the most dangerous electricity sources because of the nuclear waste.

//Producing Nuclear Power//
How to produce nuclear energy, sounds complicated, but really isn't. Nuclear energy is produced by storing the uranium atoms in nuclear rods. When the uranium atoms is bombarded by a neutron, it produces a lot of energy. This is a process called Nuclear fission. Nuclear fission is when A uranium atom is bombarded by a neutron, making it break into Barium, and Krypton. Which then break into more Uranium atoms. This will go on for a long period, of time, and it is also called a nuclear //chain reaction//. One thing to remember is that Uranium can only be broken depending on how many atoms there are, and what kind of //isotopes// there are. This in the end will generate a very large amount of heat. A coolant is needed to make sure the rods aren't too hot. To produce energy, all of this above has to have happened. Then, when the nuclear rods produce heat, it will increase the steam pressure, making it turn on a turbine that will later on produce electricity. Here is a picture explaining a nuclear chain reaction:

//Advantages of Nuclear power//
Nuclear power has a lot of limitation/disadvantages, but it does actually have some advantages. Radiation is very dangerous, but surprisingly it does have some advantage. Radiation, can cause cancer, but it can also cure cancer. Radiation is used for something called Chemotherapy. Which uses the radiation to reduce the size of a tumor. Radiation is also used for X-ray. But, if it's used for pregnant women, it is very dangerous. That's why a different method is used without radiation. Nuclear power also have the advantage of replacing fossil fuels. As mentioned before, we are running out of fossil fuels, and fr everyday we need more and more energy. So, its been said that we have a source of Uranium for at least 100 more years. But what will we do in 100 years? A solution might be solar, and wind power but it's not enough for all people on earth.



//Disadvantages of Nuclear power//
Nuclear power has major issues with negative impacts on humans, animals and nature. Radiation is a big problem to wildlife. Inhaling radiation can be extremely dangerous to our body. If a large dose is inhaled, death is a big threat. This has been shown in Chernobyl, where many people died because of the explosion in 1986, where unit 4 reactor suffered from two explosions. As many people died ( around 30 died immediately ) Also, a lot of people ( about 300,000 ) had to evacuate Chernobyl, to find a place where they weren't exposed to radiation.Years after, people who lived in Chernobyl, most babies where either born with handicap, or disabled. Even if you visit Chernobyl now, you can't be outside without a mask for long. Nuclear waste is also a major problem for Nuclear Power. Mailny because it has very high radiation, and there is hard to find a place where to put it. It is usually stored deep down in mountains, and as far away as possible from any human. If it's not treated well, we will get sick, and plants will die. // **Environmental issues** // Nuclear disadvantages can be very harmful to our environment. If radiation is exposed to nature, plants will wither and die, and humans and animals will get sick, or in some cases, die. Although it's very harmful for quite a while, it will eventually wear off, and plants and animals will go back. Nuclear power will as well have negative impacts on sea life. This is shown as the coolant used to cool the nuclear power plants, comes from lakes and oceans. Usually, when the water has been pumped up and used, it is often in a much hotter state. Therefore, when it's pumped back into the ocean ( or lake ) it will change the temperature of the water, and some fish will die out because it's not the temperature they're used to. The Chernobyl accident is a great example showing disadvantages of radiation.

Health issues
As mentioned many time before, Nuclear power has large negative impacts on our health. Such as radiation. As said before, if we inhale radiation, we will often get a radiation sickness, or it will cause death depending on how much it is. Radiation, can both cause and cure cancer as mentioned before, it's used for chemotherapy which is a process of reducing the size of a cancer tumor. But it some cases, radiation is also the cause of cancer. This is shown as a lot of the victims who lived where there was a nuclear disaster, usually end up getting cancer because of the radiation.

1. How nuclear energy is used to solve energy scarcity?
Since we are running out of fossil fuels to produce electricity, and our population is increasing fast, Nuclear energy is basically the only solution. There are other energy sources, such as wind and solar energy, but that wouldn't be enough for 10 billion people. Therefore, nuclear energy is the choice since it produces a lot of electricity. But, it is one of the most dangerous electricity sources because of the nuclear waste.

=
Nuclear energy is produced by storing the uranium atoms in nuclear rods. When the uranium atoms is bombarded by a neutron, it produces a lot of energy. When the uranium atom break, a chain reaction has started as I explained in the question below. This in the end will generate a very large amount of heat. A coolant is needed to make sure the rods aren't too hot. ===== a) What is nuclear fission? Nuclear fission is when A uranium atom is bombarded by a neutron, making it break into Barium, and Krypton. Which then break into more Uranium atoms. This will go on for a long period, of time, and it is also called a nuclear //chain reaction//. One thing to remember is that Uranium can only be broken depending on how many atoms there are, and what kind of //isotopes.// This is a picture showing the process of //Nuclear fission// and //nuclear reaction.// b) How is nuclear energy used to generate electricity? When the nuclear rods produce heat, it will increase the steam pressure, making it turn on a turbine that will later on produce electricity.

A picture taken from: http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/nuclear.htm

3. What are the advantages and limitations of nuclear energy?
- Fossil fuels isn’t good for the environment, but Nuclear power doesn’t influence global warming issues. + We’re running out of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, but Uranium is sad to last for at least 100 more year. || Will cost a lot of money- Generating electricity is more expensive than building the structure itself. || Will eventually run out of Uranium ( Estimated at around 100 years ) || Chemotherapy is used to reduce the size of a tumor to release the pressure on nearby organs. Is used to cure cancer. ||  Radiation will take over our molecules by something called Ions which are charged particles, This mutates our cells, and it will result in a radiation sickness. A large dose of radiation will cause death. Can make humans develop cancer. ||
 * Topic || Advantage || Disadvantage || Limitation ||
 * Nuclear waste || No major advantages || Very dangerous, has to be stored deep down in mountains so that it won’t be able to affect humans,plants or animals. ||  ||
 * Better than Fossil fuels || <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It produces a lot of energy for a long time,
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Radiation || <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chemotherapy:

Chernobyl Accident notes:
 * Unit 4 reactor suffered from two explosions
 * 1:23 AM April 26th 1986

4. How does nuclear radiation affect the environment?
Radiation is very bad for us, animals and the environment.
 * The chernobyl accident is a good example of a negative impact of radiation on the environment.
 * The radiation wiped out the nearby trees, and wildlife
 * Although it's very harmful, it will eventually wear off, and the wildlife will come back
 * Can cause birth defects on both humans and animals
 * The water used for cooling, will be pumped up from a lake or sea, and then it will go back, but much hotter. This can cause death of fish, since they're probably not used to the temperature.

5. How does nuclear radiation affect health?
Vocabulary: Nuclear fission Atoms Neutron Proton Electron Uranium Nuclear chain reaction Isotopes Nuclear rods Bombarded Enriched Caesium

Notes 23rd of May: Weapons-grade uranium - enriched. Enriched: Higher amount/proportion of a type of uranium isotope useful for fission.

Bibliography:

<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BBC. Nuclear Fission and Fusion. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/radiation/fissionrev1.shtml>. Nuclear Fission and fusion information. “Cost of Nuclear power.” Nuclear Info. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://nuclearinfo.net/Nuclearpower/WebHomeCostOfNuclearPower>. Cost of Nuclear energy. ECO evaluator. Nuclear Radiation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.ecoevaluator.com/lifestyle/health-and-safety/nuclear-radiation-exposure-effects-and-protection.html>. Radiation exposure. The Health physics society. Risks of Nuclear Power. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.umich.edu/~radinfo/introduction/np-risk.htm>. Risks of Nuclear power. Radiation. Nuclear Power. N.p., 27 Feb. 2012. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/nuclear.htm>. Nuclear power, fission and basics. Nuclear Power Association. Economics of Nuclear power. N.p., Dec. 2011. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf02.html>. Nuclear power economics. S-cool. Advantages and disadvantages. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/chemistry/radioactivity/revise-it/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-radioactivity>. Disadvantages, and advantages of Nuclear power. World Nuclear Association. Nuclear waste. N.p., May 2012. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/wast.htm>. Nuclear waste information Yahoo. Environmental issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/the-effects-nuclear-radiation-environment-4203365.html?cat=15>. Environmental issues of nuclear power. Spare notes: Since we are running out of fossil fuels, we have nuclear energy, solar, wind and etc. Since solar and wind is not enough for 10 billion people, we really only have one choice. Although nuclear energy can be very dangerous, it provides a very big part of the worlds energy. If the nuclear plant is treated well, it will not contaminate the air like when burning oil or coal. Uranium is said to last for another 100 years. So, as mentioned, before, we are running out of fossil fuels, and it's said that uranium will last for at least 100 more years. Disadvantage: Nuclear waste Nuclear waste is a disadvantage when it come to nuclear power because of how hazardous it is, and how long it takes for it to become no radioactive. Nuclear waste can stay radioactive for over 1000 years. Nuclear waste has to be stored deep down in mountains, so that it won't be exposed to plants, animals, and humans. ( Very difficult to store ) It can take a very long period of time to build/construct a single nuclear plant (15-20 years) Nowadays, they are significantly cheaper, and faster to construct compared to before, but it can still be very expensive. Can be used for nuclear weapons Radiation Advantage: Chemotherapy: As well as causing cancer, radiation can be used to cure cancer. There's a process called chemotherapy, where the radiation reduces the size of a cancer tumor, and releases the pressure of a nearby organs. Disadvantage: If we inhale, or in some way radiation in our bosy it will throw out our electrons. This will charged particles called ions, and makes them ionising our molecules. If this happens, it will mutate our cells, and if we get a large dose of radiation it will cause death quickly.

Replaces fossil fuels Advantage: Since we are running out of fossil fuels, we still have nuclear energy, solar, wind and etc. Since solar and wind is not enough for 10 billion people, we really only have one choice. Although nuclear energy can be very dangerous, it provides a very big part of the worlds energy.

Disadvantage: Although it will replace fossil fuels, it will eventually run out. It's been said that uranium will run out in a 100 years, which means that it will last for a while, but not forever.