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Introduction
Renewable energy is energy which comes from resources that are
naturally replenished at the same rate they are consumed. This means
that they are sustainable for an indefinite period of time. The renewable
sources used most commonly are sunlight, wind, water, biomass and
geothermal heat. Generally, renewable energy is considered clean and
environmentally friendly. Non-renewable energy, on the other hand, is
energy which comes from scarce resources that cannot be replaced in our
lifetime or even many lifetimes and consequently these resources will
eventually be exhausted. This means that these resources are not
sustainable with current use. Most non-renewable energy sources are
fossil fuels coal, petroleum and natural gas. They are called fossil fuels
as they are formed from organic material such as decayed plants and
animals, which have been converted to crude oil, coal or natural gas by
exposure to heat and pressure in the earths crust, a process which can
take hundreds of millions of years. Fossil fuels contain carbon and when
they are burned, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which
is thought to contribute to global warming.
Science plays an important role in understanding how and if should
humans use non-renewable energy sources. To answer this question, we
must identify, measure and quantify the effects on the environment and
human health. There is consensus among environmental scientists that
non-renewable energy sources should be used judiciously, if at all, and
that renewable energy should be given precedence wherever possible.
There is debate about whether nuclear power is renewable or not. On the
one hand, uranium deposits are finite which means that they will
eventually run out. For example, uranium deposits are estimated to be
enough to supply nuclear energy for another 1000 years. However, some
researchers have argued otherwise. Cohen claims that with new
technologies, uranium can be extracted from sea water and river water
and breeder reactors could be used to increase the amount of energy
extracted from nuclear fission. Although nuclear power does not release
carbon into the atmosphere, it is not environmentally friendly like
renewable energy, as it generates toxic nuclear waste as a byproduct.
What type of fuel is extracted using the topic you selected? How
is this fuel extracted? Briefly describe the process.
Nuclear reactors use uranium to produce electricity through nuclear
fission. In fission, atoms are forced to break apart. Pellets of U-235, a rare
isotype of uranium, are used to produce a nuclear fission reaction. These
uranium atoms then release particles which cause other uranium atoms to
break apart, initiating a chain reaction. The energy released from this
reaction generates heat. The heat then warms the cooling agent in the
reactor, usually water, which produces steam. The steam then turns
turbines which drive generators to create electricity. Nuclear reactors
control nuclear fission using rods called nuclear poisons which absorb
fission products and slow the reaction down. This process generates
energy and radioactive waste as a byproduct.
What environmental risks does this process cause?
Some believe that nuclear energy is clean as it does not release carbon
dioxide or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As such, nuclear power
does not directly contribute to global warming. However, critics argue
that nuclear power is far from clean, as it generates radioactive waste as
a byproduct. Radioactive material is highly toxic to humans, plants and
wildlife, causing burns and increasing the risk for birth defects, cancer,
blood diseases and bone decay. Used fuel and rods are extremely
radioactive and must be stored in special containers. Also, workers tools
and clothes in contact with radioactive dust can stay radioactive for
thousands of years and must be stored and disposed of properly to avoid
contaminating anything else.
E=mc2
Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann demonstrated that Uranium decays
into barium
Leo Szilard suggested the possibility of creating a nuclear chain
reaction and filed a patent for a nuclear reactor
The first nuclear power plant built for civil purposes was the Obninsk
nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union which was launched in June
1954. A better understanding of the processes of fission, heat
generation, cooling, reactivity control and electrical power generation
has led to improvements in the safety and efficiency of power plants.
There are many reactor types and they can be classified based on type
of nuclear reaction, moderator material, coolant, generation, phase of
fuel and use. There are many advanced reactors being currently
developed for future use.
Have changes been made, based on scientific discovery, to
perform this process with less risk to people and the
environment? Describe these changes.
The discovery of the harmful effects of radioactivity has led to proper
protocols for extraction, transportation, storage, handling, and disposal of
nuclear waste. For example, protective clothing for workers and storage
References
Standford University, nuclear power,
http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2012/ph241/chowdhury2/
National Geographic, nuclear energy,
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/nuclear-energy/?
ar_a=1
Union of concerned scientists, how nuclear power works,
http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power/nuclear_power_technology/how-nuclear-powerworks.html#.VVCaAvmqqko
B.L. Cohen, "Breeder Reactors: A Renewable Energy Source," Am. J. Phys. 51, 75