Nuclear Waste

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Nuclear reactions were not discovered in self, but it was a process that was developed using preceding methods of vast scientists. It was that the origins were in the splitting of an atom; in 1917 Ernest Rutherford and his team were able to split an atom when they bombarded nitrogen with naturally occurring alpha particles. This was the first splitting of an atom in a lab, but it was not fully created through a complete artificial method. However in 1932 two of his students John Cockcroft and Earnest Walton were successful in splitting an atom using complete artificial means. Subsequently, in 1934 Enrico Fermi and his colleges studied the process of uranium bombardment and for the first time were able to mention nuclear fission, which is a key component in nuclear power plants administration. Furthermore, after Fermi and Szilard immigrated to the United States they joined group of scientist in there work on what would eventually become part of the Manhattan Project. There precise role was originated in the Chicago Pile-1, which was the self sufficient nuclear chain reaction. This is the key module that generates the high amount of heat needed for the generation of steam. This steam is used to move turbines, which coincidently in America its one hundred and four reactors are able to output enough steam to power one fifth of its homes. Since the 1970’s nuclear power plants have been producing radioactive waste, however the United States government has played no part in the handling of nuclear waste, other than ensuring guidelines are followed through government instated workers. This waste has added to 60,000 tons that is spread out through out the 104 reactors and placed deep within the ground. Although nuclear power is cleaner an...

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...n be easily handled. While there are harmful waste from nuclear reactions it is currently the cleanest means of obtaining energy from a source that is four hundred times more common than gold.

Works Cited

Backus, T. (2009, October 30). The Rise and fall of Yucca Mountain.

Retrieved from http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/212/what-to-do-with-nuclear-waste-the-rise-and-fall-of-yucca-mountain

Enrico fermi. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Fermi

Fast-neutron reactor. (n.d.)

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast-neutron_reactor

Ribbing, M. (2009, January 15). Americas nuclear waste. Retrieved from http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=450020&subsecID=900194&contentID=254827

Duncan, I. (2002, September 6). What to Do with nuclear waste? Retrieved from http://www.world-nuclear.org/sym/2002/pdf/duncan.pdf

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