Nuclear Energy :: Essays Papers

Nuclear Energy It seems that the world as a whole is in face of an energy ejaculate that is cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient. This seems to be particularly true in the United States where the government seeks to separate themselves from their reliance on petroleum from countries including those in the in-between East. Their agenda, unfortunately, is less concerned with environmental issues than it is with issues of power, money, and dominance. Either way, nuclear energy has emerged as the forerunner for alternative energy sources. Today, there are 109 nuclear power plants in the United States which contribute roughly 20% of the power used in the United States(Nuclear Energy, April 13, 2005). Nuclear fission is performed by fusion of hydrogen into helium. This is done development uranium, plutonium, or thorium and placing them in the reactor, which start a chain reaction that can produce vast add ups of energy. Uranium is the element primarily used in reactors. The fission of a single atom can produce 10 million times the amount of energy that an atom can produce that is burn from burn. Uranium is an abundant element which is easily found and extracted. It often has to undergo a relatively cheap refining process, however, as the isotopes are found fuse in nature. Nuclear fission is also relatively clean, as there is no excess CO2 produced, as there is in the burning of coal and petroleum. It does, however, have is pollutants. The filtering rods used have to be changed every two years and the old rods disposed of. Because the rods are highly radioactive, their disposal must be dealt with meticulously. shortly most of the rods are shipped to Yucca Mountain (The Bane of Nuclear Energy, April 13, 2005). Despite the benefits of nuclear fission, the quest still continues for an even better energy source. The hopes of the new energy source are pinned on a process known as nuclear fusion. This is the process t hat takes place on the sun and other stars under intense shake up and pressure. The hope is that nuclear fusion will become a reality here on earth as it will provide an unprecedented amount of energy very cheaply and with very little pollution.