Is Nuclear Power a Good Choice for Alternative Energy?
Most people associate anything nuclear with running zombies and biohazard warning signs in bright red. Is nuclear power a wise choice in a world that needs to use as many alternative sources of electricity as possible?
What Is Atomic Energy?
Nuclear energy is not always associated with positive thoughts. Think about the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings during World War II, as well as the atomic bomb and nuclear testing that followed. Reactor meltdowns like those at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl come to mind. Both in our lifetime and the one after won’t be habitable once more.
People are worried about the future as a result of what they know about nuclear power and its history. The doors might open if a little more was understood about nuclear energy. After all, knowledge is power.
First, the splitting of atoms, specifically of uranium, produces nuclear energy. The action is referred to as “fission.”
In a controlled environment, splitting these atoms produces a lot of heat. Steam is created when that heat is applied to water. A turbine is then turned by the steam. Electricity is then generated by the turbine.
The fission process occurs in the nuclear reactor’s core, which is a controlled and enclosed space because of the materials used. Neutrons from the fission reaction are absorbed by control rods inside the containment unit. Because it is surrounded by the water or other coolant substance that absorbs it, the heat generated is prevented from rising too high. To further lower the temperature, this substance conducts heat away from the reactor.
The steam pipe system is divided from the water or coolant pipe system. Steam is created when water in the steam piping system is heated. The heat is transferred from the first pipe system to the second pipe system using a steam generator. Water boils in this location, creating steam that turns the turbine.
Nuclear power plants generate electricity but no potentially obnoxious greenhouse gases. As a result, less air pollution from this source of energy is produced. Steam is what you see emerging from those smoke stacks. It is true that this process generates more electricity than some other renewable energy sources.
Concerning the waste, there is one question. How are nuclear wastes handled? Uranium atoms are being split, and as a result, radioactive waste needs to be disposed of. We don’t want to cause more environmental harm. Waste is currently kept in concrete basins with a steel liner. Sadly, even if the waste is safely stored, it will continue to be radioactive for thousands of years.
Hundreds of nuclear power plants are currently operational. Do we support this energy form going forward and confront our fears, or do we look for another option? Each type of energy has both good and bad qualities. Whichever side prevails in the end is all that remains to be seen.