Nuclear energy is a dangerous source of energy that has cost the United States millions of dollars to in building nuclear plants, working cost and the disposal of nuclear waste. The capital costs of nuclear reactors are greater than those for coal-fired plants and much greater than those for gas-fired plants. There have been a number of incidents in the past that have harmed not only people but also the environment in which we live. The United States needs to put an end to the usage of nuclear energy and develop alternative renewable and efficient sources of generating power preferably solar and wind energy. Although nuclear power provides clean energy for the United States, the dangers associated with nuclear accidents, radiation and waste disposal far out way its benefits.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, atoms have an immense amount of energy holding their nuclei together despite their insignificant size (U.S. Department of Energy 3). In the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists such as Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, Niels Bohr, and many others began to study the concepts of the atom based on the experiments they performed. Ernest Ruthaford, a British physicist, has been widely recognized as the father of nuclear science due to his contribution of the theory of atomic structure (5).
Most nuclear reactors run by a series of fission known as a chain reaction (3), caused by the fission of heavy atomic nuclei. The most common fuel used is Uranium-235 an isotope of uranium (18). The amount of uranium needed to build a self-sustaining chain reaction is called critical mass (6). Chain reactions are able to run when the necessary amount of uranium is brought together under the right conditions (3). The heat produced by the ...
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Gronlund, Lisbeth, and Eryn MacDonald. “America, Awash in Nuclear Weapons Materials.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Mar. 2014: 53-67. Print. 3rd Mar. 2014.
Nersesian, Roy L. Energy for the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide to Conventional and Alternative Sources. Armonk: Sharpe, 2007. Print. 3rd Mar. 2014.
Slovic, Paul. “The Perception Gap: Radiation and Risk.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. May. 2012: 67-75. Print. 3rd Mar. 2014.
Union of Concerned Scientists. “Nuclear Power Is an Environmentally Unsound Way to Reduce Pollution.” Opposing Viewpoint Series: The Environment. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2009. 86-95. Print. 28th Feb. 2014.
U.S Department of Energy. The History of Nuclear Energy. Washington, DC: U.S Department of Energy, N.d. Web. 1st Apr. 2014.
A. Attention Material: Have you ever thought about energy? Where it comes from and how it powers things? Nuclear energy is one of the many types of energy sources in the world today. It is a non-renewable resource such as coal and natural gas. The first nuclear reactor ever created by man was built in December of 1942. The discovery of building a nuclear power plant was discovered over 150 years ago (Nuclear Power: Villain or Victim?, p. 15).
physics. The work of Ernest Rutherford, H. G. J. Moseley, and Niels Bohr on atomic
Central Idea: Nuclear energy only contributes a small amount to the world’s electricity yet it has hazards and dangers that far out-way its benefits. There are many other alternative power producing sources that can produce energy more efficiently and more safely than nuclear power plants can.
After the United States developed the atomic at the end of World War II, interest in nuclear technology increased exponentially. People soon realized that nuclear technology could be used for electricity, as another alternative to fossil fuels. Today, nuclear power has its place in the world, but there is still a lot of controversy over the use of nuclear energy. Things such as the containment of radiation and few nuclear power plant accidents have given nuclear power a bad image. However, nuclear power is a reliable source of energy because it has no carbon emissions, energy is available at any time, little fuel is needed for a lot of energy, and as time goes on, it is becoming safer and safer.
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...
“Face it. Nukes are the most climate-friendly industrial-scale form of energy” (Power, Reiss, Pearlstein, 655). This statement is what I’m trying to promote through my argument. It also ties Inconvenient Truths: 10 Green Heresies by Matt Powers, Spencer Reiss, and Jonanna Pearlstein and Nuclear Power is Best Energy Source: Potchef Stroom together by bring out the main point all authors are trying to get across. Global warming has been a big concern for years now and one of the biggest causes for it, is the burning of fossil fuels to get energy. People that live in the United States of America use a huge amount of energy in their daily lives and that amount continues to grow with our population growing with it. My purpose of this piece is to persuade people to switch to nuclear power for a cleaner energy source because it’s the cleanest energy source.
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.
2) Bellis, Mary. "Nuclear Power - Timeline of Nuclear Technology and the Atomic Bomb." About.com Inventors. About.com, 03 Apr. 2014. Web. 06 May 2014.
World Nuclear Association. (2014). Nuclear Power in the World Today.Available: http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Current-and-Future-Generation/Nuclear-Power-in-the-World-Today/. Last accessed 25th April 2014.
New inventions are created daily; however, it is those that truly change the world that are remembered. The use and discovery of atomic energy negatively impacts the world because of the danger it entails. Many people across the world believe that the use of atomic energy is a mistake based off of past events that have occurred such as the bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The abuse of atomic energy has been proven to damage society’s morale, population and could potentially destroy entire populations.
In the search for alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists and policy makers have focused on three options: nuclear power, energy from biomass; and a combination of wind, water, and solar power. Nuclear power, however, is much more costly and runs the risk of having it fall into the wrong hands where it could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. The third option entails wind turbines, photovoltaic power plants and rooftop systems, concentrated solar thermal power plants,...
In chapter thirteen of our book, Environment by Raven and Berg, it shows us just how important renewable energy sources are. Currently the United States of America thrives on the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. The main problems with these types of fuel are that they are both limited and can be extremely harmful to our environment. They cause global warming, air pollution, acid rain, and oil spills (Environment), and not only that, but in the grand scheme of things, these sources really aren’t even that cheap of a fuel source. There are many alternatives to these all but outdated fuel sources.
Nuclear energy is generated by a process called fission. Fission occurs within the reactor of a nuclear power plant when a neutron is fired at an atom of uranium causing it to split and release subsequent neutrons.1 These are able to crash into other uranium atoms causing a chain reaction and releasing a great deal of heat energy.
The world that we live into today affords us the expectation that the flip a switch will turn the lights on. As populations increase and developing nations undergo dramatic economic growth, this energy demand will only continue to grow. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that “the world’s energy needs could be 50% higher in 2030 than they are today” (ElBaradei). Given this projected growth, it is necessary for world leaders must take action to secure the energy supply. Meaning that world leaders need to start seriously considering an alternative to non-renewable energy sources. “In 2012, the United States generated about 4,054 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. About 68% of the electricity generated was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 37% attributed from coal” (U.S. Energy Information Administration). The fossil fuels that are used to supply over half of our country’s energy are in finite supply and are increasing in price to astronomical heights.
middle of paper ... ... g the Energy Revolution." Foreign Affairs. Nov/Dec 2010: 111. SIRS Issues Researcher.