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