Every Friday in Japan, the lawn of the office of the Prime Minister fills up with hundreds of Japanese citizens to protest in concern about the country’s ongoing nuclear program in spite of the meltdown of the Fukushima-Daichi power plant. 170 miles north of Tokyo, the meltdown happened in 2011 after a back to back earthquake and tsunami devastated cooling capabilities within the plant, which subsequently led to the meltdown of one of the reactors. This even displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes. (Junko, and Mullen Jethro) Although no deaths have been attributed to the explosion or subsequent nuclear fallout yet, the full repercussions of the event have yet to been fully experienced. A plan is still being developed of how to remedy the situation as nuclear contaminated water continues to seep into the Pacific Ocean. The Fukushima disaster is certainly the worst nuclear event since Chernobyl in 1986 and perhaps will escalate to be worst environmental disaster in our lifetime.
The study of atoms began with the Greek philosophers who devised the concept that matter is comprised of invisible atoms. Centuries later, the implications of this theory were explored by many famous scientists to include Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity. Einsteins counterpart in theoretical physics, Ernest Rutherford, theorized, “If it is possible to control at will, the rate of disintegration of the radio elements, an enormous amount of energy could be obtained from a small amount of matter.” (“History of Nuclear Energy”) The next 40 years were spent trying to do just that, and in 1942, Enrico Fermi and a team of notorious physicists created the first sustainable nuclear reaction. Since that time, the history of nuclear energy ...
... middle of paper ...
...ned Scientists National Headquarters. Web. 9 Dec 2013.
United States. Department of Energy. Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste. Washington D.C.: , 2013. Print.
"Position Paper: Nuclear Power and Global Warming." UCSUSA.org. Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 10 Dec 2013.
Erin, Ailworth. "Ex-leader of Japan warns against nuclear power." Boston Globe 10 OCT 2013, Business. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
United States. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Backgrounder: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident. Washington D.C.: USNRC Office of Public Affairs, 2013. Print.
United States. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Backgrounder: Three Mile Island Accident. Washington D.C.: USNRC Office of Public Affairs, 2013. Print.
Lovley, Erika. "Chu vows to push nuclear power." Politico 01 JAN 2009, 2010 Congress. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
"Nuclear Disasters: Chernobyl, Three Mile Island - CNN IReport." CNN IReport. Web. 19 Mar. 2011. .
The Three Mile Island accident took place in Middletown, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1979. During this accident even though there was no meltdown, there was some radioactive gas that was let out into the air. As a result more than 50,000 people were evacuated from their homes (Levine 60-3). The Three Mile Island incident had a major impact on public opinion, the construction of nuclear plants, and the future of nuclear power.
Specific purpose: To persuade the audience that nuclear power is the best source of energy today.
There are many sources of energy today, and the best source of it is constantly being sought after, one source stands out above the rest. Nuclear energy is simple in theory, yet it may be one of the most controversial sources of power. Nuclear energy works using reactors built to split the atoms (nuclear fission) of the fuel to produce heat. This heat evaporates the cooling agent (usually water) into steam which turns turbines to create electricity. Nuclear energy should be allowed, because it produces an abundance of electricity, as well as being a clean source of energy with no harmful emissions. Nuclear energy is the future of clean, environmentally friendly energy.
(Action): If we don’t do our part to stop the expansion of nuclear power plants, the future of our planet will be bleaker. Every year, thousands of more pounds of nuclear waste will be buried underground and the damage to our environment increases. There are more efficient energy sources other than nuclear power and we must do our part today to prevent a catastrophic future for our children. The dangers that nuclear power plants pose for the United States are very real. There are many alternative renewable sources of energy available to us such as wind and solar power, which provide a much safer and efficient alternative to nuclear power. You alone have the power to speak up and act against the expansion of this dangerous energy. The future of our environment’s safety and our nation’s energy supply lies in your hands.
...nce World War II to the present day, the technology of nuclear power has increased significantly in terms of energy output and safety. The energy efficiency of nuclear power is far superior to its counterpart fossil fuel and renewable energy. Compared to fossil fuels, tiny amounts of fuel used by nuclear reactors is equivalent to a large sum of coal. This is a no brainer. Why mine a ton of coal when a little uranium can be used to gain the same amount of energy? Not only is it efficient, it’s safe to use. Used fuel is packed away in storage safely, so there isn’t any chance of radiation leaking out. In the present day, nuclear power incidents haven’t been occurring lately. Advancements in technology and equipment used have made nuclear energy a very reliable and safe source of energy. With today’s energy needs, nuclear power has the ability to keep up in the race.
Nuclear Energy has many proponents and much opposition. Many of the groups that oppose nuclear power have legitimate concerns, mainly with the dangers of nuclear material in relation with human health concerns and environmental troubles that are risked by allowing nuclear power plants to increase in number. Yet, many of these opposition groups have made outspoken and radical claims about the “hidden” motives of why nuclear power is promoted and subsidized by our federal government. For example, The Nuclear Information and Resource Service claim that the federal government has the intention of committing genocide against Native Americans because uranium mining is predominantly done on reservations. Another cry out by nuclear power opponents is the constant reliving of the few nuclear mishaps that occurred decades ago, at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. No doubt, past accidents have happened worldwide and are important reminders to not play around with nuclear material, but technology has improved as well, a fact opponents fail to consider. Many of these organizations feel that other sources should be used to supply America’s energy needs. These types of statements tag many opponents to nuclear energy as misinformed, out of touch with scientific facts, or just closed minded to the whole concept of nuclear power. On the other hand, the proponents of nuclear energy like President Bush see it as cheap, and environmentally friendly. As a result, President Bush passed the Comprehensive Energy Bill in 2005 that would increase production of all types of energy, including nuclear, by giving subsidies and tax breaks to nuclear power producers. Keeping safe America’s capabilities for generating electric power by way of nuclear e...
In the early morning of April 26th, 1986, two explosions tore through the Chernobyl nuclear power plant leaving behind nothing but rubble, nuclear fallout, and the infamy of what will probably long be called the worst nuclear disaster in history (World Nuclear Association, 2013). The cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat remain ghost towns due to extremely high levels of radiation still present 28 years after the explosion. The undeniable environmental effects of the blast couple with the severe health effects to earn the Chernobyl explosion its infamy.
Chernobyl was the greatest nuclear disaster of the 20th century. On April 26th, 1986, one of four nuclear reactors located in the Soviet Union melted down and contaminated a vast area of Eastern Europe. The meltdown, a result of human error, lapsed safety precautions, and lack of a containment vessel, was barely contained by dropping sand and releasing huge amounts of deadly radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere. The resulting contamination killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people and devastated the environment. The affects of this accident are still being felt today and will be felt for generations to come.
The worst accident in the history of this nuclear power generation occurred on the morning of April 26, 1986. It was at the Chernobyl (Ukraine) nuclear power station in the Soviet Union. At 1:32AM Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Telyatnikov received a telephone call and was told that there was a fire at the nuclear power plant. There were many reasons their plant had backfired. These reasons included human error and poor plant design due to the cold war. Chernobyl was located in the former Soviet Union in what is now Ukraine. The area in and around Chernobyl is now a nuclear wasteland. People are not supposed to live in these areas, yet they still do, even with the danger of mutations and radiation sickness. For the people and countries affected by the radiation, this was a horrible, terrifying and angering experience. Villages were evacuated late and not many things were done in time to save lives and prevent more damages.
(9) Ward, Victoria. "Japan Nuclear Plant: How Fukushima Crisis Rates on Nuclear Disaster Scale." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited, 15 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 July 2011. .
Scientists from earlier times helped influence the discoveries that lead to the development of atomic energy. In the late 1800’s, Dalton created the Atomic Theory which explains atoms, elements and compounds (Henderson 1). This was important to the study of and understanding of atoms to future scientists. The Atomic Theory was a list of scientific laws regarding atoms and their potential abilities. Roentagen, used Dalton’s findings and discovered x-rays which could pass through solid objects (Henderson 1). Although he did not discover radiation from the x-rays, he did help lay the foundations for electromagnetic waves. Shortly after Roentagen’s findings, J.J. Thompson discovered the electron which was responsible for defining the atom’s characteristics (Henderson 2). The electron helped scientists uncover why an atom responds to reactions the way it does and how it received its “personality”. Dalton’s, Roentagen’s and Thompson’s findings helped guide other scientists to discovering the uses of atomic energy and reactions. Such applications were discovered in the early 1900’s by using Einstein’s equation, which stated that if a chain reaction occurred, cheap, reliable energy could b...
Neubacher, Alexander, and Catalina Schröder. "The Move to Renewables: German'ys Nuclear Phase-Out Brings Unexpected Costs." Der Spiegel, June 06, 2012. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-s-nuclear-phase-out-brings-unexpected-costs-to-consumers-a-837007.html (accessed March 27, 2014).
On April26, 1986, the nuclear power plant was exploded in Chernobyl, Ukraine. At 1:23 AM, while everyone were sleeping, Reactor #4 exploded, and 40 hours later, all the city residence were forcefully moved to other cities, and they never return to their home. The Chernobyl disaster is ranked the worst nuclear accident. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was ran by the Soviet Union central nuclear energy corporation. (International Atomic Energy Agency-IAEA, 2005)
The greatest disadvantages of nuclear energy are the risks posed to mankind and the environment by radioactive materials. ‘On average a nuclear plant annually generates 20 metric tons of used nuclear fuel cla...