Nuclear_Power

**Nuclear Power**


 * __Students__**:

Kevin Crouch, Victor Rivera, Min Cho, Brooke Kirkpatrick, Jess Darden, Asil Martin, Zach Abel, Jeff Holland, Moobin Son

__Questions__: (Answer below the line - do not answer within the questions!) Don't forget to post all your sources!
 * 1) Define nuclear power.
 * 2) How common is nuclear power today around the world? In the USA?
 * 3) What is the chemistry involved in creating nuclear power? (i.e. What elements are used and why?)
 * 4) What is nuclear fission? How is it related to nuclear power plants?
 * 5) What are some of the benefits of using nuclear power?
 * 6) What are some of the drawbacks of using nuclear power?
 * 7) Historically, what are the problems with nuclear power?
 * 8) Would you want to live near a nuclear power plant?
 * 9) Do you think nuclear power is a viable alternative to carbon-based energy sources? Why or why not?

1. nuclear power is power derived from nuclear energy. source http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nuclear%20power 2. There are more than 400 nuclear power plants around the world, with more than 100 in the United States. [|www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm] 3. elements used are plutoniums and uraniums. to produce heat. source //http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/nuclear.htm//// 4.// Nuclear Fission is a nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus (such as uranium) splits into two lighter nuclei.http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/nuclearfission.htm. 8. I would not want to live near a nuclear power plant because of radiation, enviormental monitoring, and nuclear zwaste.http://www.aboutnuclear.org/erc/ 9. I don't believe that nuclear energy is the viable alternative it is often seen as, because Uranium is finite and will eventually run out. [|www.engadget.com/2008/03/27/socal-edison-wants-to-cover-california-rooftops-in-solar-panels/] 5. One of the benefits that nuclear power provides is electricity aroud the world.http://www.posse.net/ne_benef.htm

6. Some problems with nuclear power is that spent fuel has no permanent resting place, that is dangerous since it remains toxic for years. Also nuclear power plants are often poorly run, example the Chernobyl disaster. http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/a/l/alt198/nuclear.htm (Jeff Holland Edit) Acctually, nuclear waste can be disposed of safely, or even reprocessed and reused as long as certain precautions are taken. http://www.goshen.edu/bio/Biol410/BSSPapers98/schrock/schrock.html

7. The Chernobyl disaster is a perfect example of the problems that nuclear power plants have. In 1986 a reactor was poorly designed without regard for the saftey of the people. The reactor caused a stem explosion that was radioactive. The steam was blown down wind to the town of chernobyl and was the cause of 56 deaths from radiation.http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htm (Jeff Holland Edit)So basically what this person here is saying is that nuclear power is bad because someone built a reactor poorly. Nuclear power is a very safe alternative to other power sources. While nuclear power can be dangerous, it produces no air polution, is cheap, and brings down the burning of fossil fuels. http://www.goshen.edu/bio/Biol410/BSSPapers98/schrock/schrock.html 7.Another example of a catastrophe caused by nuclear power is Hiroshima. The population before the bombing of Hiroshima was a respectivelty 300,000. About four months after the bombing about 130,000 died.These people died from either exposure to radiation, intense heat and fire. [f|http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/09/06/stories/08060003.htm](Jeff Holland Edit) We arnt talking about a nuclear bomb here, we are talking about nuclear POWER. they are two different things. now, if say a nuclear power plant exploded, it would create the same affect radition wise, but nothing close to a nuclear bomb.

5. Nuclear power cuts our demand of foreign oil by nearly 300 million barrels a year. They also help replace the constant burning of fossil fuels. They ultimately help our enviorment.http://www.posse.net/ne_benef.htm