AlMarzooqi 1

Hamad AlMarzooqi

Professor Madhav Kafle

ESL 015

10 April 2013

Nuclear Power

The production of nuclear energy takes place when tiny nucleus splits in to a smaller form referred to as nuclei through a fission process. Usually, fission brings about production of energy, but depending on the atoms involved, energy levels vary. Atoms like uranium and plutonium produce large masses of energy, which is easily exploitable, to generate electricity that functions in operating steady machinery and use of weapons of mass destruction and power like atomic bombs (Gibson 56). A nuclear power plant, therefore, functions from the energy produced through the fission procedure. It works a lot like a coal plant, but instead of burning coal and producing numerous by-product gases, the energy in a power plant is explicitly from fission. The wastes from a coalmine are gases like carbon dioxide, but the wastes in a nuclear power plant amount to radioactive elements that are often harmful and difficult to handle compared to coal wastes. Radioactive elements unbalance, and when they continue to decay, they emit radiation gases (McLeish 67). All radioactive elements emit particles that are either alpha or beta. These gases cause distraction of whatever matter they come into contact with, much like the radioactive rays from the sun which could be extremely harmful if they come into contact with bare skin or uncovered eyes. The radioactivity of nuclear gases warrants caution from parties involved in its production and supply. If manipulated wrongly, the gases have tragiceffects that last for years in the environments that encounter them. The debate as to whether use and supply of nuclear energy is safe has been going for a long time. Those that are for use of nuclear energy view it as a clean source of energy as it requires little amounts of fuel to generate large masses of energy. The levels of pollution involved in nuclear energy are also remarkably little as stated earlier compared to coal. Opponents of nuclear energy site disturbing accidents such as the ones at Three Miles Island in the United States and the Chernobyl. They caused the death of millions of people. There is currently no internationally accepted version of holding or discarding nuclear energy therefore, opponents worry that discarded wastes in the ground will eventually leak into water supplies in use and cause disastrous effects. As the debate continues, it is pertinent to remember that nuclear energy serves as replacements of fossil fuels like coal and oil that have continue to destroy the earth’s ozone layers causing catastrophic events associated with climate change (Gibson 67).The only way to move on from these sources of energy is to use nuclear energy combined with renewable energy sources like water, and solar power to reduce the effects of other sources of energy. A look into the advantages of using and ultimately supplying nuclear energy will provide a perspective that looks into nuclear energy positively.This is the only sure way to secure the future environmentally and sustainably(Benduhn 34).

Today, energy controls the international system, and supply of this energy is currently from fossil fuel. Historically, people tuned to coal as an alternativeas wood was insufficient to supply energy required for the industrialization process. After coal, the world turned to petroleum and deposits of petroleum continue to reduce thereby unable to provide for the growing needs of humankind.The gulf area hosts Petroleum deposits, these areas are currently war torn zones. The world is at a stage where another energy alternative is necessary to continue extensive civilization just like coal took over from wood, and petroleum from whale oil (Morgan 55). Combining nuclear energy and renewable energy, people will have the ability to conserve the environment for future generations. Renewable sources are usable in local productions that require low concentrations of applications while nuclear energy is for use in high-energy requirement areas. Nuclear energy will provide enough power for electric transport in terms of electric automobiles and planes that currently require fuel. High heat reactors will supply energy to recover water from the water bodies for conversion into hydroelectric power and for production of hydrogen. Fossil fuels produce tons of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere. Scientifically, it is common knowledge that plants and certain sea creatures and vegetation requires carbon dioxide to survive and thrive (Daley 130). The unabsorbed potions remain in the air, which is what alters the normal composition of the air, therefore, causing climate change and global warming in the stratosphere. People tend to forget that there is only one planet, and if altering of the composition takes place, then it could prove disastrous to the human race.

Solar and wind could serve as a great alternative to fossil fuels, but is it sufficient to continue supplying much needed energy for continued civilization? Conservation of these sources is required and praised. Renewable sources are cheap and clean to harness and supply. In fact, the sun and the wind will always be there. However, the levels of energy are not appropriate to power planes or skyscrapers, hence the need to turn to nuclear power. Where reduction of other sources of energy has occurred, nuclear energy is limitless. The technology has since become developed from the days of Hiroshima and Chernobyl. Over years, nuclear reactors provide military equipment like ships, but it also equally worthy for use in resident equipment if it so requires. By saying that nuclear energy is clean, what this primarily means is that there is no emission of harmful gases like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide. It is crucial to note also that a gram of uranium supplies energy equivalent to a ton of coal. The waste received from this coal is a lot more compared to a gram of uranium. The cleanliness of nuclear energy, therefore, corresponds to minimal levels of nuclear waste. In countries such as the United States and Sweden, storage of fuel spent from nuclear energy is safe. In other countries, the there is reprocessing of spent fuel to single out potential elements that are radioactive (Lillington 240). The heavy elements are easily stored in glass casing where storage is safe and undeviating. Nuclear energy is easily recyclable to produce new fundamentals for extra energy.Deposits of wastes from nuclear energy are easily located in geological sites that serve as storage. This means that a littleleaks into the biosphere and while the impact on the environment is there, it remains negligible. Unlike chemical damages like Mercury that does not decay, nuclear energy only requires a couple of years before it decays entirely. Smoke from fossil fuel has caused pollution in the atmosphere, onset of acid rain, and overall environmental pollution (Miller &Scott 77).

Accidents associated with nuclear energy like Three Mile Island in 1979 in Pennsylvania and Chernobyl, 1986 in USSR are a cause for concern especially for scientists that are familiar with its effects. The small amounts of radioactivity that, unfortunately,leaked out of the housing building caused a disaster of proportional capacities. The core of the reactor melted, but no serious injuries concerning irradiation occurred, neither were there reports of death (Gyorgy 89). The Chernobyl accident took place with the faulty design of the reactor. This caused an explosion that burnt for weeks on end, causing radioactive particles to escape into the atmosphere. As such, people died, and others deformed their features. Overtime, scientist even speculated different types of cancer, because of the blast. This unfortunate incident led to the loss of lives of millions of people. It is vital to note that while not overlooking these accidents, every energy supply is tending to accidents. Coal miners suffered detrimental effects of the smoke produced from burning it. This extends todifferent kinds of lung cancer to discoloration of the skin. Petroleum has encountered numerous explosions and unexpected accidents that have lost lives and injures others (Thomas 100). The crucial thing is that investigations into the faulty reactors have taken place and alterations have occurred where necessary. Scientists do not take lightly the effects of radioactive elements, hence the continued funding for research into nuclear energy in a bid to prevent future disasters. Uranium is practically everywhere on the earth, meaning it is not abundant, and it is competitive. The position still stands that it is the future of continued civilization in the international system.

Works Cited

Benduhn, Tea. Nuclear Power. Pleasantville, NY: Weekly Reader Pub, 2009. Print.

Daley, Michael J. Nuclear Power: Promise or Peril?Minneapolis: Lerner

Publications Co, 1997. Print.

Gibson, Diane. Nuclear Power. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2005. Print.

Gyorgy, Anna. No Nukes: Everyone's Guide to Nuclear Power. Boston, MA: South End

Press, 1979. Print.

McLeish, Ewan. Nuclear Power: The Pros and Cons. New York: Rosen Central, 2007. Print.

Morgan, Nina. Nuclear Power. Austin, Tex: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1998. Print.

Miller, G T, and Scott Spoolman. Living in the Environment: Principles,

Connections, and Solutions. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 2012. Print.

Lillington, J N. The Future of Nuclear Power. Oxford: Elsevier, 2004. Internet resource.

Thomas, S D. The Realities of Nuclear Power: International Economic and

Regulatory Experience. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Print.