Standards

Nuclear EnergyAdvantages and Disadvantages

Changing Views

• Nuclear Energy– 50s and 60s

• Energy of the future• Clean and plentiful• Cheap

– 70s and 80s• 120 planned plants canceled• 40 partially constructed

– Today• 17% of energy

Nuclear Energy

• Energy w/in nucleus of an atom

• 1 million times stronger than chemical bonds

• Uranium (U) used a fuel

Nuclear Fission

• Nuclei of uranium bombarded with neutrons

• Nuclei split

• Release energy

• Atomic bomb – uncontrolled fission rxn

How does it work?

• Reactor in thick pressure vessel

• Surrounded by cooling fluid

• Surrounded by thick concrete walls

How does it work?

• Metal fuel rods containing U bombarded with neutrons

• Control rods absorb some neutrons to slow rxn

How does it work?

• Rxn heats closed loop of water

• Heats separate water boils

• Steam turns turbine in generator

Advantages

• Concentrated energy

• No greenhouse gases

• Less radiation than coal-burning plants

• No reliance on fossil fuels

Why aren’t we using it?

• Expensive– Nuclear power - $3,000 per kilowatt– Wind power - $1,000 per kilowatt– Natural gas - $600 per kilowatt

Why aren’t we using it?

• Storing waste– Waste remains dangerous for 1,000s of years– Waste sites must be geologically stable– USA has researched a site for 2 decades– Hope – transmutation: recycle waste

Safety

• Chernobyl 1986 (Ukraine)– Engineers turned off safety devices (Derp!)– Explosion– Radiation in the air– Old design

• Three Mile Island 1979 (PA)– Human error, blocked valves, broken pumps– Smaller leak

• 300 safety improvements

The future

• Nuclear fusion???– 2 atoms combine, release bookoodles of

energy– Powers stars– Wicked hard

• High temps 100 millionºC• High concentrations• Properly contained

Take a side!

• Create an ad– For or Against nuclear power (Get off the

fence)– Persuasive– Use facts NOT emotion

• Ads will be displayed on back wall

Create a Persuasive Ad!

• Step 1: Make Your Benefits Stand Out

• Step 2: Tell A Story In Your Ad Body

• Step 3: A Strong Call To Action