Ryan

Ryan

Question: 1. How nuclear energy is used to solve energy scarcity? 2. How is nuclear energy produced? 3. What are the advantages and limitations of nuclear energy 4. How does nuclear radiation affect the environment? 5. How does nuclear radiation affect health?

The world now mostly uses fossil fuels to produce electricity. However, there is one huge problem. They are not renewable. It is predicted that after 60 years, fossil fuels will run out completely. The only way the world can survive without fossil fuels is renewable energy such as wind mills. However, they are not fully developed and we will need more than 60 years to fully develop renewable energy as a main energy source. Therefore, nuclear energy can give a breathing room until that time. Nuclear energy requires uranium that is not renewable. However, it is predicted that uranium will last for 200 to 300 more years. Therefore, we can use nuclear energy as well as fossil fuels to give more time to the scientists who are working on renewable energy to develop renewable energy to perfection. In addition, nuclear energy is much cheaper to produce than fossil fuels. So, it offers an efficient source of energy especially to the countries which suffer from energy scarcity.

Nuclear power plants use a process called nuclear fission to create electricity. Nuclear fission is a process where the nuclei of atoms are split and release energy. However, we need a specific kind of atom in order for nuclear fission to work. Nuclear power plants like to use uranium because its nucleus splits very easily. Uranium ore is mined and turned into rods called fuel rods. After that, these fuel rods are placed into a tank of water inside the reactor. Uranium atom captures free floating neutrons and split them into lighter elements which split more free neutrons that make a controlled chain of reaction. When that happens, it releases a lot of heat. That heat turns water into steam. From there, the steam will flow into the generator which creates electricity out of it. After being used, the radioactive isotopes produced from the fuel rods will be stored deep in the mountain or in a place blocked with thick concrete walls. Also, the used fuel rod will be stored.  The greenhouse gases are a major threat in the current scenario, as they cause global warming and climate change. As there is no emission of these gases during nuclear reaction, there is very little effect on the environment. Since the materials needed to generate the power plant does not contain/release carbon dioxide, it will not create toxic gases. || Production of nuclear energy leads to creation and proliferation of nuclear waste that can be harmful to the environment and humans.
 * Advantage, Disadvantages and Limitation of Nuclear energy ||
 * Advantage || Disadvantages || Limitation ||
 * The biggest advantage of nuclear energy is that there is no release of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbon) during nuclear reaction.

The incident at the Fukushima power plant was a huge issue because much of the nuclear waste inside the plant was released. When these nuclear wastes were released, they flew into either air or water and affected both the environment and humans. || The cost of uranium and peritoneum are very expensive. Therefore, nuclear energy is very expensive to use. Also, ever since 2010, there was a huge jump of uranium price. In 2010, the price of uranium was 10 dollars per a kilogram. Now, the price of uranium is 300 dollars per a pound which is 2.2 kg. ||
 * Nuclear reactions release much more energy then other power generators. A large amount of electricity can be generated. Presently, 12-18% of the world's electricity is generated through nuclear energy.

Nuclear Energy generates about 1.5 million times than coal. || Though large amount of energy can be produced from a nuclear power plant, it requires large capital cost. Around 15-20 years are required to develop a single plant.

 The Fukushima nuclear plant took more then 16 years in order to complete || Cost of removing nuclear waste is enormous. Therefore, poor countries can’t afford to use this energy.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Poor countries such as Bangladesh and Cambodia do not have nuclear plants. They simply do not have enough money to handle the cost of powering the generator and also removing the nuclear waste. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Nuclear reactors make use of uranium as fuel. Fission reaction of a small amount of uranium generates a large amount of energy. Currently, the high reserves of uranium found on Earth, are expected to last for another 100 years. || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The waste produced after fission reactions releases three kind of radioactive rays, each called gamma rays, alpha rays and beta rays. These radioactive rays can affect both the environment and humans. This type of radiation is released because after radioactive isotopes decayed. ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The burning of fossil fuels result in emission of the poisonous carbon dioxide. It is a menace to the environment as well as human life. There is no release of carbon dioxide at the time of nuclear reaction. || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">If the Nuclear plants blow up, all of the radioactive materials will be released which can result to thousands of casualties.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> The Chernobyl disaster that occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 in Ukraine, was the worst nuclear power plant disaster. One of the nuclear reactors of the plant exploded, releasing so much radiation It resulted in thousands of casualties. ||  || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> It is proven that it will take about 4.5 billion years for an atom to decay completely. || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Terrorists in Afghanistan and other places are willing to pay millions of money to get hold of nuclear wasted. Just a hundred kilogram of these nuclear wastes will be more than enough to threaten or attack others. They can simply send down 10kg of nuclear waste on the White House of U.S.A, and destroy it. || <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The radiation is dangerous to our health because the radiation may give enough energy to the electrons in the cells so that they can escape from the attraction of the nuclei. That can lead to killing the cell, or mutate the DNA. If it kills the cell, it is quite safe. However, if it only damage the dna partially, that will lead to a huge problem. If the DNA of a cell is partially damaged, it means that it will still reproduce. If this happens, it will cause cancer.
 * || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> After nuclear fission, they produce nuclear waste that they cannot be used. However, they can't just throw it away. The radioactive isotopes will keep decay and remains so, for thousands of years. The radioactivity of these elements reduces over a period of time, after decaying, they have to be carefully stored. It is very difficult to store radioactive elements for a long period. They need to store these nuclear waste in deep and safe places that no human can be affected by these wastes. For example, they may store it deep in a mountain. Or, they can also store the nuclear waste in a cooling pool completely surrounded with several tons of concrete and lead.
 * || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The nuclear wastes that were produced can also be used as a weapon. Used nuclear waste may not be as powerful as a real nuclear weapon, but they are still powerful enough to be a threat to others.

The radiation affects the environment in many ways When there is a nuclear meltdown, it can be released in two ways. Either water or air. When radioactive isotopes are released, it needs to settle down. When it flows into the air, it will land on the ground such as leaves, trees and the land. If this happens, the animals who eat the plants will be affected. Then, we, the humans who eat these animals will be affected as well. When radioactive isotopes flow into the water, the fish we eat will be affected. Also, humans who live in the region near the nuclear plant may have cancer and mental problems because of the radiation. They feel so scared that the suicide rate jumps sky high. Also, it may mutate animals. When a female is affected by the radiation, the newborn animal may suffer mutation.