Chernobyl
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.
Nuclear power has always been a controversial issue because of its inherent danger and the amount of waste that the plants produce. Once considered a relatively safe form for generating energy, nuclear power has caused more problems than it has solved. While it has reduced the amount of traditional natural resources (fossil fuels), used to generate power like coal, wood, and oil, nuclear generating plants have become anachronisms. Maintaining them and keeping them safe has become a problem of immense proportion. As the plants age and other technology becomes available, what to do with these “eyesores” is a consuming issue for many government agencies and environmental groups. No one knows what to do about the problem and in many areas of the world, another nuclear meltdown is an accident waiting to happen. Despite a vast array of safety measures, a break in reactor pipe or a leak in a containment vessel, could spell another environmental disaster for the world.
In addition to the potential dangers of accidents in generating stations, nuclear waste is a continuing problem that is growing exponentially. Nuclear waste can remain radioactive for about 600 years and disposing these wastes or storing them is an immense problem. Everyone wants the energy generated by power plants, but no one wants to take responsibility for the waste. Thus far, it is stored deep in the earth, but these storage areas are potentially dangerous and will eventually run out. Some have suggested sending the waste into space, but no one is sure of the repercussions.
Nuclear power plants should be dismantled and replaced with safer energy generating sources.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that chernobyl was the greatest nuclear disaster of the 20th century. the meltdown resulted from human error, lapsed safety precautions, and lack of a containment vessel.
- Explains that nuclear power is a controversial issue because of its inherent danger and the amount of waste that the plants produce.
- Explains that nuclear waste is a continuing problem that is growing exponentially. everyone wants energy generated by power plants, but no one wants to take responsibility for the waste.
- Opines that nuclear power plants should be dismantled and replaced with safer energy generating sources. governments around the world need to acknowledge that there is no safe source of nuclear energy.
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- Nuclear Waste Disposalexplanatory essayThis is an important issue in the United States today because many people still fear nuclear waste because of what has happened at Chernobyl. They are afraid t...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that nuclear waste is a growing concern in the united states and throughout the world.
- Explains why this issue is in hot debate in the united states. residents who live in peaceful communities don't want these dangerous and hazardous materials to end up in their communities.
- Opines that this is an important issue in the united states today because many people still fear nuclear waste because of what has happened at chernobyl.
- Explains that nuclear waste does not always cause harmful pollution into rivers or water. meentinny west, rockchapel, was raided by gardai after a two-week surveillance operation.
- Explains that the energy department has 800,000 gallons of nuclear waste stored at the idaho national engineering and environmental laboratory.
- Explains that waste can cause many problems that people are not really aware of, such as poor air quality in a nearby residential neighborhood.
- Explains that under bush's plan to store nuclear waste at yucca mountain, hundreds of thousands of gallons would have to travel through chicago on its route to nevada.
- Explains that the caribbean sea and the islands are worried about the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and waste. they believe an accident would lower tourism and decrease the fishing industries.
- States that they strongly support the idea of nuclear waste being a major hazard to the quality of human life.
- Opines that people who are in favor of nuclear waste need to wake up and realize that it is dangerous.
- States that antigua-waste caribbean worried about nuclear waste shipments. energy dept. sued over nuclear waste.
1482 wordsRead More - Essay On Chernobylexplanatory essayStudy of the Nuclear Disaster of Chernobyl 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.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that chernobyl was the worst accident in the history of nuclear power generation.
- Explains that chernobyl's electrical engineer was not a specialist in reactor plants, and the soviet union had poor designs for nuclear plants due to the cold war.
- Explains that uranium-oxide fuel overheated at 3,500 degrees fahrenheit, causing a massive explosion. the soviet government admitted the truth after swedish monitoring stations reported high levels of wind-transported radioactivity.
- Explains that the steam explosion and fire released about five percent of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere. studies have shown how radioactivity affects the body.
- Explains krypton 85 affects the entire body and can increase a person's chances of getting cancers like leukemia within two years after exposure. cesium 137 attacks the whole body, centering on the liver, spleen and the muscles.
- Estimates that over 15 million people have been victimized by the disaster in some way and that it will cost over 60 billion dollars to make these people healthy.
- Explains that genetic mutations occur twice as often in children of families exposed to radioactive fallout and are in the germ line. this effect was not observed in survivors of hiroshima and nagasaki.
- Explains that radiation weakens your immune system and makes you susceptible to many diseases. radiation sickness induces vomiting and leaves burns and scars on your skin.
- Explains that chernobyl was the worst accident in the history of power plants. greenpeace spoke out against it with a powerful quote.
977 wordsRead More - Chernobyl Essayexplanatory essayChernobyl was the largest uncontrolled radioactive release ever recorded in history. Chernobyl was an accident that occurred while running routine checks on the Chernobyl 4 reactor on April 26, 1986. The explosion released all of its xenon gas, and about half of its iodine-131 and caesium-137 into the atmosphere. This accident resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions left with radiation poisoning. Chernobyl used to be prospering with a population of about 14,000; however, today it's a ghost town with a population hovering around 150 residents. Almost all the population chose to evacuate, while others took the risk in order to hold onto their memories of the once thriving town. The radiation still hovers around in the air today, still at very powerful and dangerous levels; 600,000 workers have attempted to contain the radiation levels. Chernobyl still has lasting effects today; it released record amounts of radiation, affected millions of lives, called for thousands of abortion requests, destroyed wild life, and it was a key turning point in history for nuclear safety.
In this essay, the author
- Describes chernobyl as the largest uncontrolled radioactive release ever recorded in history. it was an accident that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions left with radiation poisoning.
- Explains that chernobyl holds the record for largest nuclear incident in the world. the steam explosion alone released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and dozens of hazardous isotopes and chemicals.
- Describes how chernobyl nuclear scientists were instructed to run a routine check on reactor 4 to determine how long the turbines would spin and provide power to the primary circulating pumps.
- Explains that the radiation caused deformities in newborn babies, and many pregnant women requested abortions even in areas where it was illegal.
- Explains that chernobyl radiation affected wildlife, crops, water, livestock, and more. the effects on the forest are still a problem nearly 30 years after the meltdown.
- Explains that the rbmk-1000 reactor that ruptured and exploded that night was remade and corrected. soviet reactor designs were vastly improved and modifications were developed to overcome deficiencies.
- Explains that the 'exclusion zone' is still affected by radiation after the chernobyl meltdown on reactor 4. the area is overgrown with greenery, wild animals, and deteriorated pieces of the past.
- Explains that the citizens of ukraine are neglected by the government and given very little to support themselves. the people living in chernobyl have contracted a variety of diseases and are forced to grow their own crops.
- Explains that ukraine and russia have been increasing hostilities since the chernobyl incident. a $2.1 billion construction project was planned to seal off the still-leaking reactor.
- Opines that chernobyl was a tragic event that impacted lives all around europe. it released record amounts of radiation, affected millions of lives, called for thousands of abortion requests, and destroyed wild life.
1743 wordsRead More - Chernobyl: A Nuclear Catastropheexplanatory essayWhen a major event takes place, people will always come back to ask what caused the
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the dead trees were buried in trenches in the red forest.
- Explains that there have been diagnosed cases of thyroid cancer in those countries from the intake of dietary supplements.
- Explains that a concrete shelter was built over the unit 4 chernobyl reactor.
- Narrates how the international shelter implementation plan was used to raise money for shelters in the 1990s.
- Explains that 200 tons of highly radioactive material remains under the shelter.
- Explains that most of the supplies were oil, gas, and nuclear fuel.
- Explains that half of ukraine's electricity is powered by nuclear fuel.
- Explains that the chernobyl accident was the main reason for reactor safety because of radiation.
- Describes the wano and iaea organizations.
- Explains that it was founded in 1989 and links 130 operators of nuclear power plants in 30 countries.
- Opines that the chernobyl explosion was a catastrophic event that had one or two causes but some more effects. people wonder what could’ve been done to stop the explosion, or if it even was stoppable.
- Explains that the chernobyl explosion was caused by a flawed reactor design and operators that were not properly trained.
- Explains that the unique design of the control rods in the reactor caused a dramatic power surge, rapid production of steam, and increased pressure.
- Opines that the reactor in the plant was made differently than the rest in other nuclear power plants.
- Explains that over thirty operators and fireman died after the explosion. two hundred and thirty-seven people who helped clean up the remnants of the blast were killed.
- Explains that the chernobyl explosion covered the red forest in radioactive particles causing over four hundred trees to die.
- Reports that the center for independent environmental assessment of the russian academy of sciences has reported an intense increase of fatalities since 1990.
- Opines that there have been small traces of radioactivity in other countries, too, including chernobyl, and sheep wool in the uk.
- Explains that a new safe confinement shelter is supposed to be completed in 2016 and will cover the unit 4 reactor and the first concrete structure built in 1986.
- Opines that the chernobyl reactor test was too far in to stop, and workers had to let the reactor run its course and explode.
- Narrates how unit 2 was shut down in 1991 and unit 1 was closed down late 1997. every day there were six thousand people working on the plant, and a small group of workers.
- Explains that in the original reactors, the nuclear chain reaction and power output could increase if cooling water was lost or turned to steam. this led to the power surge that destroyed the chernobyl 4 unit.
- Opines that the german nuclear safety agency report states that a repetition of the chernobyl accident is virtually impossible now that many equipment has been upgraded.
- Explains the convention on nuclear safety adopted in vienna in june 1994. most, if not all, of the questions about the chernobyl meltdown can be answered.
- Explains that the russian and ukraine governments helped repair and resettle chernobyl and the area around it. the explosion set an example for other countries to learn from.
1553 wordsRead More - The Consequences of Continued Use of Nuclear Power Plants in the USAexplanatory essayOne needs to pay attention to the fact that the problems are possible not only in case of nuclear accidents. It is about the issue of the disposal nuclear waste. Increasing the amount of nuclear waste and reducing the size of the territories for their burial will make the United States face a vexed problem, because currently the elaboration of nuclear waste is not possible. The U.S. government should first promote the research aimed to find alternative ways to deal with energy shortages. Based on the fact that, despite its advantages, nuclear power might lead to catastrophic consequences of not local, but a global scale, it is necessary to seek for the solutions that will ensure minimal harm to human health and the natural balance of ecosystems.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that nuclear energy is the energy contained in the nucleus and released in nuclear reactions.
- Explains the huge energy consumption of fuel. 1 kilogram of uranium enriched to 4%, with full burn up releases energy equivalent to burning of about 100 tons of coal
- Explains the reusability of fuel (after regeneration). unlike ash and slag of fossil fuel, uranium 235 may be used a couple of times.
- Explains that nuclear power does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. nuclear power plants in europe help to avoid emissions of 700 million tons of co2.
- Opines that nuclear power is a promising target for investment despite the recent tragic events in japan and the splash of public distrust to the "peaceful atom."
- Explains that advanced industrial countries began to design and build nuclear power plants with different types of reactors.
- Explains the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy, such as the low dependence on transportation of fuels, and the fact that it does not require the construction of expensive facilities.
- Explains that nuclear power provides minimal emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which are known to be harmful to human health.
- Explains that nuclear energy has serious disadvantages, such as the disposal of radioactive nuclear waste stations.
- Concludes that nuclear energy has its merits against the background of the growth of energy consumption and reducing the amount of organic resources such as oil.
2660 wordsRead More - Nuclear Energy Essayargumentative essayHowever, nuclear power is a sustainable energy source which reduces carbon emissions, produces virtually no air pollution, and increases energy security. Because of western world energy codes and technologies, the methods of storing/disposing of nuclear waste are safer than ever. In addition to an increased focus on saving the environment, many governments have proclaimed a need for energy through a method that is environmentally friendly. According to the World Nuclear Association, “Electricity demand is increasing twice as fast as overall energy use and is likely to rise by more than two-thirds 2011 to 2035 (World Energy Needs and Nuclear Power)”. As of now, Nuclear power provides about 11% of the world's electricity (Ricotti). Only through nuclear energy will the world’s exponential energy demands be met. Despite political hype, environmental consequences, and lack of facility standardization, Nuclear power continues to offer a solution to be a worldwide, emission-free, scalable energy source that can meet global energy demands, as...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the world has been struggling about determining whether or not to utilize nuclear energy. from 1985, when american cold war fears stifled nuclear technology applications for power, to 2011, the japanese fukishima nuclear incident resulted in many anti-nuclear sentiments.
- Explains that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source that reduces carbon emissions, produces virtually no air pollution, and increases energy security.
- Compares the benefits of nuclear energy with other energy sources to see why it is an attractive option.
- Explains that fossil fuel plants require enormous amounts of coal and other fuels. hydroelectric dams are suspect to environmental change, and wind turbines produce electricity. nuclear energy provides reliability and efficiency.
- Opines that meeting energy demands can only be done once the general populous stops fearing nuclear prospects. the potential hazard of both nuclear waste and radiation from generating electricity with nuclear power is unwarranted.
- Explains that there have been three major nuclear disasters in the history of the technology: the chernobyl incident, the fukishima disaster, and the three mile incident.
- Explains that nuclear power plants cannot be used to create nuclear weapons due to varying processes of nuclear material enrichment.
- Explains that nuclear waste is unjustly seen as harmful because of a flawed understanding of radioactivity.
- Explains that nuclear waste is dangerous because of radiation, which is energy in wave form, or electromagnetic waves that travel through space.
- Explains that although nuclear reactors are not common worldwide, infrastructure exists to support them. nuclear power plants can power large areas for extended periods.
- Explains that nuclear energy is the only energy solution that is responsible for its own waste.
- Argues that the nuclear model is misguided because it does not take into account other radioactive metals and references relative rarity.
- Explains that nuclear energy, besides electricity production, is used in other constructive methods, such as medicine, desalination, and space missions.
- Concludes that nuclear energy is a reliable and powerful energy source that can spearhead energy reform in an effective, high energy density method.
2404 wordsRead More - Nuclear Waste Essayanalytical essaySince the dawn of civilization, all living (and some non-living) things have needed energy. When humans discovered fire, the first form of harnessed energy, it made it easier to stay warm, prepare food, make weapons, etc. Since then, humankind has been inventing new ways to harness energy and use it to our advantage. Now-a-days, people in most nations depend extremely heavily on fossil fuels – to work, travel, regulate temperature of homes, produce food, clothing, and furniture, as well as other power industries. Not only are these fossil fuels dominating our society and creating economic vulnerability, but they also produce waste that causes a number of social and environmental concerns. The waste from these fuels leads to acid rain, smog, and climate change. It also releases sulfur dioxide as well as other air pollutants that are very harmful to the human respiratory system (Morris, 1999, p. ix). There are other alternative sustainable energy sources including solar, hydroelectric, wind, and biomass. However, the main source aside from fossil fuel is nuclear energy from controlled nuclear reactions (where nuclei of radioisotopes become stable or nonradioactive by undergoing changes) in a nuclear power plant. Nuclear power produces enormous amounts of energy to serve a community. Unfortunately, nuclear energy has its own set of problems – a big one being its waste. The spent fuel from nuclear plants is radioactive. This means that it emits radiation, or penetrating rays and particles emitted by a radioactive source. Ionizing radiation is known to cause cancer, and therefore makes anyone who lives near spent nuclear waste facilities vulnerable to this incurable disease. The disposal of nuclear waste is a global issue...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that people depend heavily on fossil fuels to work, travel, regulate temperature of homes, produce food, clothing, and furniture, as well as other alternative sustainable energy sources.
- Explains that marie curie's discovery of radioactivity was key to discovering radioactive elements, while james chadwick discovered fission, the splitting of a nucleus into smaller fragments by bombarding it with neutrons.
- Explains that 98.3% of uranium ore is u-238 (not fissionable) and only 0.7% of u-235 (fission-able). the radioactive decay of nuclear waste emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.
- Explains that nuclear energy yields 2.7 million times more energy than coal per gram. nuclear waste is expensive and dangerous to dispose of because of its radioactivity.
- Argues that nuclear plants and waste storage are disproportionately sited near rural communities where the voices of residents are ignored.
- Explains the environmental impacts of nuclear waste, such as radioactive emissions, heat released into the air, and hot water. nuclear waste does not produce harmful air pollutants like ash, sulfur dioxide and greenhouse gases.
1237 wordsRead More - Nuclear Energyanalytical essayMany people argue that the main problem with nuclear power plants is the radioactive waste it leaves behind which have no use. ‘A typical nuclear power plant in a year generates 20 metric tons of used nuclear fuel. The nuclear industry generates a total of about 2,300 metric tons of used fuel per year’ (‘Nuclear Waste: Amounts and On-Site Storage’). There are mainly two types of radioactive wastes, low-level waste and high level waste. Low level wastes are ordinary items that come in contact with some radiation and are generated anywhere radioisotopes are used or produced such as a hospital. High level waste is the actual spent fuel, or the residual waste from reprocessing spent fuel. It takes ten of thousands of year for this for this waste to decay and be harmless to the environment, so it needs professional han...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that energy consumption has become a necessity and an important part of our daily life in the past 10 years. since nuclear energy has emerged, it is the forerunner for alternative energy sources.
- Argues that the main problem with nuclear power plants is the radioactive waste it leaves behind which have no use. the advantages of using nuclear energy outweigh its disadvantages.
- Explains that the world is becoming a very dangerous place with number of countries owning nuclear weapons increasing.
- Explains that working in nuclear plants is a huge risk from many aspects. high radiation doses can destroy body functions and lead to death within 60 days.
- Explains that nuclear energy is a double-edged sword that needs to be used with utmost care. if it falls in the wrong hands, it may lead to wars and disasters.
1102 wordsRead More - The Dangers And Effects Of The Chernobyl Disasteranalytical essayDraft 2 One of the largest concerns for the modern world is the current energy consumption rate. With present day fossil fuel reserves rapidly shrinking, the importance of deciding on alternative energies grows significantly. While there are considerable options, such as solar, hydro, geothermal, nuclear fusion, and fission; it is important to remember the inherent dangers that these untested sources can create. The Chernobyl Disaster serves as a grim reminder of the consequences that can result from new technological breakthroughs. This essay will explore the social, health, environmental, causes and effects of the Chernobyl Disaster, the impact it carried, and the safety regulations and political standpoints that changed as a result.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the impact of the chernobyl disaster on the world's energy consumption.
- Describes the chernobyl disaster, which occurred during a system test at the nuclear power plant on saturday, 26th april 1986.
- Illustrates how the effects of the chernobyl disaster were made worse by the firefighter's ineffective response.
- Argues that the standard of strict confidentiality played a role in making the chernobyl power plant the worst nuclear power plant in history, in terms of both cost and casualties.
- Explains that the communist system at the time provided large incentives to maximize production, which contributed to poor maintenance in the plant.
- Explains the causes that led to the chernobyl disaster, a cataclysmic event that created changes in many areas including: the society of people living in proximity of the plant, people’s health, the environment, nuclear power, and nuclear safety regulations.
- Explains that the number of evacuees in pripyat grew as the nuclear fallout from the explosion spread. they faced enormous social changes and were shunned by the surrounding towns.
- Explains that chernobyl's nuclear fallout was one of the most significant and longest lasting dangers. it was spread through the plumes of fire after the reactor was exposed.
- Explains that in the case of chernobyl, the largest implication for one’s health was the danger of thyroid cancer.
- Explains that unscear's report in 2000 examined the health impacts of the chernobyl explosion and found that there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributed to radiation exposure.
- Explains that the elephant's foot is a combination of nuclear fuel mixed with concrete, sand, and core sealing material which melted through. it possesses severe and even fatal health risks today.
- Explains that the elephant's foot presents an additional health concern, since it is melting into the base of chernobyl and could trigger another explosion or leach radioactive materials into nearby residents' drinking water.
- Explains that the exclusion zone around chernobyl has become a haven for wildlife despite the dangers that still exist in the reactors core and select areas around it.
- Explains that the profound dangers witnessed after chernobyl led to a change in the perception of the safety of nuclear energy. the world association of nuclear operators (wano) was formed in 1989.
- Explains that chernobyl changed russia's political position, and indirectly affected the rest of the world. before the incident, president gorbachev had begun implementing a policy called glasnost.
- Analyzes how the chernobyl disaster led to a dramatic change in the environment, health, safety regulations, and politics. the true testament and warning regarding nuclear disasters provided has been weakened by its depiction in pop culture.
1739 wordsRead More - The world has seen numerous engineering disasters and from each one, has gained insight to better prepare for future calamities. However, it is very difficult to fully foresee how an accident might occur just by looking back to past disasters. In addition, it is even harder to prepare for something that hasn’t even happened before. The Chernobyl accident is a prime example of an event that couldn’t be fully prevented just by looking to past disasters or even predicting this exact accident. Psychological biases, as well as other contributing factors such as human factors, and design flaws made the Chernobyl accident a catastrophe that no one could have anticipated.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the chernobyl accident is a prime example of an event that couldn't be fully prevented just by looking back to past disasters.
- Opines that the chernobyl disaster of 1986 was one of the worst disasters in the world. it was supposed to be a routine check to determine how long the steam-driven turbines at the plant would continue to generate electricity.
- Explains that the disaster at chernobyl didn't transpire just from one factor, but rather from several factors.
- Analyzes the design flaws in the reactor, such as the positive void coefficient and the control rods.
- Analyzes how human factors, psychological biases, and design flaws contributed to the chernobyl accident.
- Explains that the aftermath of chernobyl had a crippling impact on society and business that would take years to recover from.
- Opines that the chernobyl accident was a lesson learned, but at too high of an cost. the reactor wasn't in containment building, which meant chemicals would be released into the atmosphere.
- Opines that even though the chernobyl incident was one of the worst nuclear disasters that the world has ever seen, it was a mistake that would be valued from then on.
- Explains that arnerup, fredrik, "the chernobyl accident: the course of events." stacken.
- Describes the lessons learned from chernobyl's assessment of radiological and health impacts.
- Explains chernobyl appendix 1: sequence of events.
- Explains that only 50 deaths caused by chernobyl? the ongoing health effects.
- Cites meshkati, najmedin, "human factors in large-scale technological systems' accidents: three mile island, bhopal, chernobyl."
- Describes the nuclear disasters: chernobyl, three mile island - cnn ireport.
- Explains that what are the social and economic costs of the chernobyl accident.
1730 wordsRead More