Nuclear Energy

1. Nuclear Energy By:Akash Gill

2. What is Nuclear Energy? • Nuclear energy usually means the part of the energy of an atomic nucleus, which can be released by fusion or fission or radioactive decay. Nuclear energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms in a process called fission. At the power plant, the fission process is used to generate heat for producing steam, which is used by a turbine to generate electricity. It is the energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, especially when used to generate electricity. Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus of an atom. Atoms are the smallest particles that can break a material. At the core of each atom there are two types of particles (neutrons and protons) that are held together. Nuclear energy is the energy that holds neutrons and protons Nuclear energy can be used to produce electricity. This energy can be obtained in two ways: nuclear fusion andnuclear fission. In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. In nuclear fission, atoms are split into smaller atoms, releasing energy. Actually, nuclear power plants can only use nuclear fission to produce electricity.

3. What are the Advantages of Nuclear Energy? Generating electricity by nuclear energy saving is an important pollutant gases (CO2 and others) that would be generated if this energy would be generated from the burning of fossil fuels. Currently more fossil fuels which are produced so that in the not too distant future these resources will be exhausted or the prices would rise making them inaccessible to most consumed of the population. Another advantage is in the amount of fuel needed; with little fuel large amounts of energy are obtained. This saves on raw materials but also in transport, handling extraction nuclear fuel. The cost of fuel is 20% of the cost of energy generated. Production of electric energy is continuous. A nuclear power plant is generating electricity for almost 90% of the hours of the year. This reduces the price volatility that exist in other fuels such as petrol. The fact that is also conducive to continuous electrical planning as no such dependency in natural aspects. With that the major disadvantage of renewable energy in the hours of sun or wind does not always coincide with the hours of greatest energy demand is solved. As an alternative to fossil fuels need not consume as much of carbon fuels like oil, so therefore the problem of global warming, which is believed to have reduced one more important influence on climate change on the planet. By reducing the consumption of fossil fuels also improve the quality of the air we breathe with all that this implies in the decline of disease and quality of life.

4. What are the disadvantages of Nuclear Energy? One of the advantages discussed above and agencies in favor of nuclear energy is used regularly reduced consumption of fossil fuels and thus reducing global warming. This is a half truth. Although today only nuclear energy is used to generate electricity. Yes consumption of fossil fuels would be reduced, but only those that are consumed to generate electricity. Much of fossil fuels comes from road transport use in internal combustion engines (diesel cars, petrol ... etc..). The use of nuclear energy for conversion into mechanical energy is very low. The main drawback and what makes it great is that security in their use remains the responsibility of individuals. Although there are many automated safety systems at nuclear power plants, people can make wrong or irresponsible decisions. A series of bad decisions led the worst nuclear accident in Chernobyl. Once an accident has occurred, the way how it is managed is also dependent on the decisions made by people who are in office. In this case the example we have is with the Fukushima nuclear accident where the accident management was questioned.Probably the most alarming problem is the use that can be given to nuclear power in the defense industry. Interestingly, nuclear debuted in front of the world as two bombs dropped on Japan at end World War II.

5. What are the disadvantages of Nuclear Energy? A civil level, a major drawback is the generation of nuclear waste and the difficulty to manage and it takes many years to lose its radioactivity and danger.Nuclear reactors, once constructed, have an expiration date. After this date must be dismantled, so that in the main countries producing nuclear energy to maintain constant the number of operating reactors should be built about 80 new nuclear reactors the next ten years.Precisely because nuclear plants have a limited life. The investment for the construction of a nuclear plant is very high and must be recovered in no time, so this raises the cost of electricity generated. In other words, the energy generated is cheap compared to the cost of fuel, but having to repay the construction of the nuclear plant's significantly more expensive.Nuclear power plants are targets for terrorist organizations.Nuclear power plants generate external dependence. Shortly countries have uranium mines and not all countries have nuclear technology, so both have to be hired abroad.Current nuclear reactors work by fission nuclear reactions. These chain reactions occur so that if the control systems should fail every time more and more reactions would occur to cause a radioactive explosion that would be virtually impossible to contain.