Energy source: Nuclear Fission
Uranium 235 receives an extra neutron, turning it briefly into uranium 236 (aka Excited Uranium).
The new uranium splits into lighter elements and releases free neutrons and gamma rays
Ttherefore nuclear energy.
Classification / Creating nuclear energy = creating a chain reaction of nuclear fission
source:
  • The nucleus of an atom splits into two or more → release of energy
  • Involving uranium which is a non-renewable material

Non-renewable source
  • - Chain reaction:









: nuclear fission in images
Major players /
Thorium= available in very few countries, India has a particularly large reserve
Availability / At world’s scale
  • Large gap between number 1 and number 2 countries that produces nuclear energy thanks to nuclear fission
  • USA produce the largest share of global nuclear energy

Consumption / Nuclear fission used to produce electricity:
  • not all countries use nuclear fission for their electricity
  • production of nuclear electricity increased since 1971
-in 1971 it was at 100 TWH
-in 2013 it reached 2200 TWH
-its highest point was in2010 with 2550 TWH

  • Country relying the most on nuclear energy= France
  • Also one of the countries that produces the most.
  • 9/10 countries that have the heaviest reliance on nuclear energy are in Europe


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Sustainability /
  • At the heart of several major Disasters:
-Causes:
  • nuclear plant generates electricity by boiling water into steam, which turns turbine to generate power and there is a nuclear fission reaction but if this one goes out of control= meltdown
-Type of disaster:
  • Radiation exposure
  • Large radioactive release
  • Nuclear radioactive fall out
-Risk of:
  • Cancer
  • Thermal injury
  • Genetic problems due to the deformation of the chromosomes
-World-wide: 99 accidents at nuclear power plants
  • 56 out of 99 have occurred in the USA
-Major disaster: Chernobyl in 1986
  • Ukraine
  • 30 deaths
  • Predictions of cancers because of the radiations
  • Wind spread the radiations to other countries in Europe
-Fukushima disaster: 2011
  • Japan
  • no deaths from the explosion
  • deaths reported recently due to radiation exposure
  • population forced to move away


  • nuclear energy as a solution to climate warming
-PROS:
  • Nuclear energy produces less CO2, the main cause of climate warming
  • Possibility of generating a large amount of electrical energy in one single plant
  • Technology already available, no need to be developed first
-CONS:
  • High risk of accidents
  • Radioactive waste
  • Non renewability of uranium
  • Preferred target for terrorists
Nuclear power cannot be considered as a solution to climate warming
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