In the nuclear industry there are many benefits and risks. Nuclear energy, medicine, and the food industry show this. I feel that benefits outweigh the inherent risks. I think this because there in nuclear energy there are benefits, like how it is the world’s largest source of emission-free energy. In medicine there are many radioisotopes used to benefit humans through treatment. Radioisotopes are used to diagnosis and treat many forms of cancer and other diseases. In the food industry irradiation is used to make the food bacteria free and safer. There are many benefits and inherent risks in nuclear energy, and I feel that the benefits outweigh the inherent risks. In nuclear energy there are many benefits. One benefit is that nuclear energy is the world’s largest source of emission-free energy. This is because of the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 regulates limits on the emission of certain pollutants. 20% of the nation’s electricity is, and will be, produced by non-emitting nuclear energy. Nuclear energy in place of other types of energy impacts the environment by keeping the air clean, preventing acid rain, preserving the Earth’s climate, and much more. Nuclear energy also has the lowest bad impact on the environment and is the most eco-efficient energy source because it produces the most electricity relative to its environmental impact. On the other hand, nuclear energy can have inherent risks. Nuclear energy has health effects of radiation containing subatomic particles traveling at the velocity of light. This radiation can penetrate deep inside the human body and can result in cancer or even genetic diseases. This radiation can be produced during routine plant operation, accidents in power plants or in transporting radioactive ... ... middle of paper ... ...e isotopes are used to diagnosis and treat forms of diseases. In the food industry irradiation is used to clean the food and preserve it. I feel that the benefits of the nuclear industry outweigh the inherent risks. Works Cited "The Benefits of Nuclear Energy." An Energy Resource for the Community Science Action Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . Cohen, Bernard L. "Nuclear Power Risk." Nuclear Power Risk. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . "Food Irradiation." Food Irradiation. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . "Radioisotopes in Medicine." World Nuclear Association. N.p., Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. .
Nuclear power is a growing source of energy to most of the world for many benefits. People doubt the significant of nuclear power because of one accident. Due to this accident, the world has only seen the flaws in nuclear power and not the many benefits it has to offer. Nuclear power would benefit worldwide if people would let go of the past and look towards the future. Nuclear power is a better alternative energy because of its economic and environmental benefits.
Carbon, Max W. Nuclear Power: Villain or Victim?: Our Most Misunderstood Source of Electricity. Second ed. Madison, WI: Pebble Beach, 1997.
...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.
"Radioisotopes in medicine." World of Physics. Gale, 2007. Science in Context. Web. 19 May 2014.
Without this simple device, many lives would have been lost to fires. Along with smoke detectors, nuclear technology is also used in the wide world of medicine. Chemotherapy is one of the leading ways to combat cancer growth and is helping to extend the lives, and even curing, patients everywhere. While radiation in food production may at first sound like an off-putting idea, radiation is already being used to better grow the world’s farming capabilities by expanding many countries crop outputs. Nuclear technology is everywhere, and that is not a bad
Nuclear energy is used today for energy supply and about 15% of the world’s energy comes from nuclear power plants some forms of medicine such as nuclear medicine rely solely on nuclear technology. This technology was developed through the process of creating the first atomic bomb and would not exist if not for the advancements made during the Manhattan project.
The nuclear plants that are in the US today are much safer than the old plants that were built in the Soviet Union. Safety procedures and containment protocols for radiation are now the norm, and many safety measures are now in place. These steps to make nuclear plants safer for everyone are evidenced by the amount of nuclear accidents that have taken place since new safety measures have been put in place. There have only been three nuclear accidents related to power plants since nuclear energy has started being utilized around the globe. Nuclear power plants have been generating electricity for over sixty years and there have only been three incidents related to them.
...g terrorism. Terrorist attacks on nuclear power plants or terrorist attacks involving nuclear waste could have incredibly detrimental effects on the human population and must be considered when assessing the dangers of nuclear energy production (Peterson and Rohrer).
There is a range of safety concerns in regards to nuclear power with one of these being the effects of radiation resulting from a nuclear accident. Research shows that there is a link between exposure to radiation and the development of cancer (Zakaib 2011) whist Preston (2012) express’s concerns that people exposed to radiation may not be able to see the effects of radiation exposure for several years as was the case in Chernobyl. Furthermore, people are unable to move back into the vicinity of reactors that have been involved in an incident due to their fear of radiation as is the chase in Fukishima (Cyranoski & Brumfiel 2011) and in the areas surrounding Chernobyl (Berton 2006). Governments are increasingly becoming more stringent in the levels of radiation in which people are exposed to with this evident in Fukishma, where the Japanese government evacuated people living within a 30km radius of the plant (Evacuation Orders and Restricted Areas n.d.). As a result of nuclear accidents and the resulting radiation, support for nuclear power has diminished due to safety concerns.
Media coverage of such cases have made the public less comfortable with the idea of moving further towards nuclear power and they only opt for reducing human activities to reduce global warming. It is true that there have been some notable disasters involving nuclear power, but compared to other power systems, nuclear power has an impressive track record. First, it is less harmful and second, it will be able to cater for the growing world population. Nuclear power produces clean energy and it delivers it at a cost that is competitive in the energy market (Patterson). According to the US Energy Information Administration, there are currently 65 such plants in the Unite States (National Research Council). They produce 19 percent of the total US energy generation.
Moreover,Nuclear Energy helps produce energy even at times of a disastrous storm, or when it snows. It will also last much longer than our current fossil fuels. Also, operating a power plant requires strict background checks, and lots and lots of training to work at one. Thick concrete walls also help massively with safety measures. Lastly, the safety equipment is extremely secure, and nearly never is disrupted or fails to do its job of preventing nuclear accidents.Nevertheless, These are my benefits on Nuclear energy.
The use of nuclear power in the mid-1980s was not a popular idea on account of all the fears that it had presented. The public seemed to have rejected it because of the fear of radiation. The Chernobyl accident in the Soviet Union in April of 1986 reinforced the fears, and gave them an international dimension (Cohen 1). Nevertheless, the public has to come to terms that one of the major requirements for sustaining human progress is an adequate source of energy. The current largest sources of energy are the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas. Fear of radiation may push nuclear power under the carpet but another fear of the unknown is how costly is this going to be? If we as the public have to overcome the fear of radiation and costly project, we first have to understand the details of nuclear energy. The known is a lot less scary then the unknown. If we could put away all the presumptions we have about this new energy source, then maybe we can understand that this would be a good decision for use in the near future.
Nuclear power, the use of exothermic nuclear processes to produce an enormous amount of electricity and heat for domestic, medical, military and industrial purposes i.e. “By the end of 2012 2346.3 kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity was generated by nuclear reactors around the world” (International atomic energy agency Vienna, 2013, p.13). However, with that been said it is evident that the process of generating electricity from a nuclear reactor has numerous health and environmental safety issues.
One of the greatest events of twentieth century was the use of radioisotope as a source of energy and as medical and industrial tools. Using radioactivity has been a global issue owing to its very nature. When it is used for peaceful purposes, it is a triumph of science because it can solve energy problems in the form of nuclear energy but the side effects in the form of harmful radiation and harmful radioactive waste is the real limitations of science. This essay will attempt to analyze the application of science in the use of radioactivity and radioactive isotopes and how science is not so effective in dealing with the side effects.
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...