Nuclear Energy: Uranium Fission :: essays research papers

Nuclear Energy Uranium FissionThousands of years ago human beings learned to make fire. By collectingand burning wood they were able to warm themselves, cook food, and manufactureprimitive tools. Later, the Egyptians discovered the principal of the sail.Even more recent was the invention of the water wheel. All of these activitiesutilize various forms of energy-biological, chemical, solar, and hydraulic.Energy, the ability to do work, is essential for meeting basic humanneeds, extending the life expectancy, and providing a rising living standard.This is where the need for atomic power comes in. Uranium fission isabout a million times more efficient than the common practice of burning burn oroil. For comparison, coal combustion produces about 20-30 MJ/kg of heat energywhile uranium, in a fast breeder reactor, produces more than 24,000,000 MJ/kg(Energy 27). Those numbers alone atomic number 18 astounding.Uranium is also abundant, thanks to recent discoveries of large reserves.At present, uranium is only being mined and separated from ore. However, ahuge untapped fount is our oceans. Sea water contains 3.3x10(-9) (3.3 partsper billion) of uranium, so the 1.4x1018 tons of sea water contains 4.6x109tons of uranium. All the worlds electricity usage, 650GWe could therefore besupplied by the uranium in sea water for 7 million years(Energy 25). This is aonly a theoretical number because it is not possible to get all(a) of the uraniumout of our vast oceans. Also, it does not include the fact that in that manyyears, half of the uranium will no longer exist due to radioactive decay. So,at worst, we would get about 2 million years of power from it. Thorium isanother element than can be used in nuclear reactors. Thorium is approximatelyfour times more abundant than uranium. It is obvious that we are in no dangerof exhausting these sources of energy. We need to crusade these resources an duse them to our advantage. God has given us the knowledge to use uranium forpow er, so why shouldnt use it? There are many benefits to victimization nucleargenerated power over our other common sources.A big advantage of nuclear power plants is that they do not burnanything, they are non-polluting, and they are kind to the environment. Unlikecoal-, gas-, and oil-fired power plants, nuclear power plants do not emit carbondioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.This is not to reckon that no waste is produced in a nuclear reaction. Anaverage size nuclear reactor produces 1000 MWe and leaves behind about 25 tonsof washed-out fuel.