S N College , Kannur

Dept .Of .Chemsitry

In House Digital Science Magazine

Athulya Ashok

CHEMISTRY- ESSAY

NUCLEAR ENERGY:
Science, Systems and Society

Athulya Ashok
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INTRODUCTION
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat, which most
frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power plant. Nuclear power can be
obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions

Nuclear Food: Uranium

Uranium is the fuel most widely used to produce nuclear energy. That's because uranium atoms split apart
relatively easily. Uranium is also a very common element, found in rocks all over the world. However, the
specific type of uranium used to produce nuclear energy, called U-235, is rare. U-235 makes up less than
one per cent of the uranium in the world.

Why Nuclear Energy?

Nuclear power has one of the lowest levels of fatalities per unit of energy generated compared to other energy sources.
Coal, petroleum, natural gas and hydroelectricity each have caused more fatalities per unit of energy due to air pollution
and accidents. Since its commercialization in the 1970s, nuclear power has prevented about 1.84 million air pollution-
related deaths and the emission of about 64 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent that would have otherwise
resulted from the burning of fossil fuels.

1. Is it safe?
Carbon neutral and negative fuels-Zero-emission nuclear power is an important part of the climate change mitigation
effort. As a Fossil Fuel Substitution, Which achieve the long time goal Low-Carbon Energy Sources.

Mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have a certain cost. However, they also constitute an
economic benefit by reducing the impacts of climate change, and the costs associated with them. As most greenhouse
gas emissions are due to fossil fuels, rapidly phasing out oil, gas and coal is critical.
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2. Or not?????.....
There is a debate about nuclear power. Proponents, such as the World Nuclear Association and Environmentalists for
Nuclear Energy, contend that nuclear power is a safe, sustainable energy source (see also Nuclear power proposed as
renewable energy) that reduces carbon emissions. Nuclear power opponents, such as Greenpeace and NIRS, contend
that nuclear power poses many threats to people and the environment.

Accidents, attacks and safety

Nuclear reactors have three unique characteristics that affect their safety, as compared to other power plants. Firstly, intensely
radioactive materials are present in a nuclear reactor. Their release to the environment could be hazardous. Secondly, the
fission products, which make up most of the intensely radioactive substances in the reactor, continue to generate a significant
amount of decay heat even after the fission chain reaction has stopped. If the heat cannot be removed from the reactor, the fuel
rods may overheat and release radioactive materials. Thirdly, a criticality accident (a rapid increase of the reactor power) is
possible in certain reactor designs if the chain reaction cannot be controlled. These three characteristics have to be taken into
account when designing nuclear reactor.

Accidents
Some serious nuclear and radiation accidents have occurred. The severity of nuclear accidents is generally
classified using the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) introduced by the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA)

● The Chernobyl accident in 1986

● The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident was caused by the 2011 Tsunami
● The Three Mile Island accident in 1979.

★ Safety
In terms of lives lost per unit of energy generated, nuclear power has caused fewer accidental deaths per unit of energy
generated than all other major sources of energy generation. Energy produced by coal, petroleum, natural gas and
hydropower has caused more deaths per unit of energy generated due to air pollution and energy accidents.

★ Attacks and sabotage

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Terrorists could target nuclear power plants in an attempt to release radioactive contamination into the community.

Nuclear Resource exploitation is another concern related to the above matter. Nuclear nation posses
a threat to the very existence of the worldly peace and disrupts the strategic stability .

Nuclear proliferation

A fundamental goal for global security is to minimize the nuclear proliferation risks associated with the expansion of
nuclear power. It is a way of ensuring a scope of safeguards and security.

Conclusion.
Slowing global warming requires a transition to a low-carbon economy, mainly by burning far less fossil fuel.
Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C is technically possible if no new fossil fuel power plants are built.
This has generated considerable interest and dispute in determining the best path forward to rapidly replace fossil-
based fuels in the global energy mix, with intense academic debate.

In developed nations the economically feasible geography for new hydropower is lacking, with every geographically
suitable area largely already exploited. Proponents of wind and solar energy claim these resources alone could
eliminate the need for nuclear power.

While nuclear energy cannot substitute fossil fuel entirely and become the sole sustainable energy
resource, it can play a significant role in decarbonizing the production of electricity.

“All the waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk. “
--Ronald Reagan.
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