Opinion Article: Nuclear Power
Nuclear power
has many benefits and drawbacks, but is it worth it?
This works by having the nuclei of atoms, such as Uranium-235, bombarded
by neutrons. When the atom
“splits” a massive release of energy happens, with even more neutrons released
enabling a chain reaction. This is
called nuclear fission.
Some benefits of nuclear energy are that Uranium is abundant in the
Earth’s crust, and the chain reactions are self-sustaining allowing a small
number of plants to generate large amounts of power.
Nuclear power is also well developed and an established technology in the
United States with 65 plants and 104 reactors.
However there are still risks to nuclear power such as a catastrophic
meltdown. The nuclear reactor at
Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986 resulted in hundreds of deaths and many families
displaced after the disaster. The
waste left over by the reactions is very slow at degrading and can linger for
centuries. Also it is currently
cost inefficient and requires technological advancement to reduce operating
cost.
Nuclear Power is a great potential source for the future of energy
however health and safety must be accounted for first.
Along with more developments in the technology field and more public
awareness are important for exploiting nuclear energy in the future.
Most likely nuclear power will be the major provider of energy in the
world.
Nuclear power
has many benefits and drawbacks, but is it worth it?
This works by having the nuclei of atoms, such as Uranium-235, bombarded
by neutrons. When the atom
“splits” a massive release of energy happens, with even more neutrons released
enabling a chain reaction. This is
called nuclear fission.
Some benefits of nuclear energy are that Uranium is abundant in the
Earth’s crust, and the chain reactions are self-sustaining allowing a small
number of plants to generate large amounts of power.
Nuclear power is also well developed and an established technology in the
United States with 65 plants and 104 reactors.
However there are still risks to nuclear power such as a catastrophic
meltdown. The nuclear reactor at
Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986 resulted in hundreds of deaths and many families
displaced after the disaster. The
waste left over by the reactions is very slow at degrading and can linger for
centuries. Also it is currently
cost inefficient and requires technological advancement to reduce operating
cost.
Nuclear Power is a great potential source for the future of energy
however health and safety must be accounted for first.
Along with more developments in the technology field and more public
awareness are important for exploiting nuclear energy in the future.
Most likely nuclear power will be the major provider of energy in the
world.