Assignment 7.2: Self-Study on Nuclear Energy

The first thing that caught my attention in the powerpoint was that nuclear energy didn’t receive a lot of attention until 1939– the same year Hitler invaded Poland. Most of the heavy research about atomic radiation took place from 1939-1945, which were the years that WWII occurred. It’s troubling that it really took the war for people to focus on this research, and even then it was mostly motivated by the idea that it could be weaponized. After the war, the focus was on using radiation to create energy, both to propel submarines and then for safe and reliable power output in the form of plants. A serious advantage of nuclear energy is that Uranium is much more potent than gasoline or coal. A smaller amount goes a much farther way than its alternatives. And because it releases fewer pollutants, using nuclear energy helps to prevent further harm to the atmosphere.

 

Nuclear power plants use both fission and fusion to create energy. Fusion is of course the fusing of two different atoms, for example when two Hydrogen molecules with extra neutrons bond with two spare neutrons to create a Helium molecule as well as a neutron. This process also releases extra energy, which is what is used to heat tanks of water, creating the steam that powers turbines, generating electricity. Fission works in a similar way, although instead of two molecules coming together, it’s one molecule that splits. Uranium-235 is the most common material for fission, although U-236 is also used. When one of these atoms is split, it starts a chain reaction which causes other atoms to split. With every split, some energy is released, so eventually the whole supply has split and enough energy has been released in the form of heat to turn the water into a nearby tank into steam, powering turbines which in turn generate electricity.

I found the chart on radiation doses to be really fascinating. I vaguely remembered from a past class that almost everything releases some radiation, but it was cool to see a list of some of the sources we might encounter. It’s cool to remember that human bodies produce radiation as well! Although it was less cool when I got to the next slide and remembered all of the damages that can occur from radiation… and it’s especially scary that genetic defects can appear the generation after somebody has been exposed.

 

I’m intrigued by the short slide on Yucca Mountain– why did that plan get cancelled? I hope we discuss that in class!

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