Camden Central High School, 115 Schools Drive
Camden, TN
Teacher: Wanda Allen
Nuclear Energy Is Not Just For Bombs
Ashley Henry
12th grade
When you first think about nuclear energy, you probable think about atomic bombs that could be dropped and destroy a nation in a matter of minutes. Have you ever, though, thought about all the energy that those bombs could produce? That energy can be our next major source of fuel for the United States. Nuclear energy is America’s second largest source of electric power after coal. It also supplies more electricity than oil, natural gas, or hydropower because of its over 110 power plants. It has a great number of advantages for being used as an energy source compared to…other…ways. It’s reliable, safe, cost efficient, and produces little pollution. It is also eco-friendly.
…Nuclear energy…is one of the least pollut[ing] of all [fuels] now used. Burning…coal, gas, and oil produces carbon dioxide, which depletes the ozone…in the atmosphere that contributes to the green house effect. These things…account for half of the United States’ air pollution. …France…used nuclear energy for over 75% of its electricity. [The] pollution from [its] electric power system has dropped 80-90 percent. A little known fact…is [that] nuclear power plants release less radiation into the air than a coal-fired power plant does. The world’s supply of fossil fuels is running out and it is estimated that in the next fifty years it will be all used up. But to [reduce] this problem, there are large reserves of uranium throughout the United States and the world. Though the supply is not endless, there is enough to [see us through] a thousand years or so.
Nuclear energy is…a reliable way to produce energy. The plants need little fuel to run so they are less susceptible to shortages [due to] strikes or natural disasters. [Nuclear energy] is…reliable because, since it is available all over the world, there is no need to think about foreign relations because of energy needs or dependence on other countries. Because we can mine it in the United States, it has saved [Americans] somewhere around $44 billion.
Safety is an issue that is good and bad for nuclear energy. Yes the actions of a malfunction of the reactor core can be catastrophic but this is prevented most of the time ….Nuclear energy is one of the safest for producing energy. The burning of coal causes 10,000 to 50,000 Americans to die from respiratory disease and 300 are killed in transportation and mining accidents. [In contrast], there have not been any Americans…die or be badly injured from a reactor accident or radiation exposure. The mining of…uranium for the power plants also leads to the reduction of future radon exposures from the ground.
[The] about nuclear energy that is…available in one pound of uranium equals the energy produced by about 1.3 million pounds of coal…. A little bit of uranium and nuclear power can go a long way. This is great news when it comes to the increasing [consumption] of energy [in] the United States…. is consuming every year.
Another good fact about using nuclear energy is a nuclear plant needs only to be refueled once a year whereas a coal power plant needs trainloads of coal everyday. Nuclear plants also cause only 0.25% of our exposure to radioactivity while X-rays, which are frequently used in the medical world, contribute to 150 times more radiation. This is why the radiation factor of nuclear energy is not an important one. It has also been said that low to moderate doses of ionizing radiation is not harmful…. It stimulates the immune system and checks oxidation of DNA through the process called radiation hormesis.
In…closing, nuclear energy is emission-free generated
electricity that annually avoids the release of nearly 700 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide causing it to be less pollutant to a world that is
already suffering from the greenhouse effect. With the increase of nuclear
energy used in the United States, the amount of money that would normally go
to the Middle East for oil stays in the United States. Nuclear energy for
electricity is also reliable because there is much of it in the Earth’s
crust all over the world and safe because it causes fewer deaths in its
workers than from the coal mills. Nuclear energy for electricity has many
advantages in its ways but there are still speculations that have to be
overcome before it becomes a nation wide way for a source of energy.
Resources
http://www.jiskha.com/social_studies/world_issues/nuclear_energy.html
was a very informative site on this issue of nuclear energy.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller13.html was a somewhat informative site for the support of this issue.
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050804-083244-9552r.htm was a somewhat informative site for the issue.
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/nuclear.htm was a very informative site for the support of nuclear energy.
Bibliography
"Homework Help: Social Studies: World Issues: The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy." Jiskha Homework Help. 02 Apr. 2006 <http://www.jiskha.com/social_studies/world_issues/nuclear_energy.html>.
Lipper, Ilan. "Nuclear Energy & Society." 02 Apr. 2006 <http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/nuclear.htm>.
Miller, Jr., Donald W. "Advantages of Nuclear Power." 14 Apr. 2005. LewRockwell.com. 02 Apr. 2006 <http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller13.html>.
Answers To Questions
1. Gassahol is a byproduct exclusively from corn and sugar cane whereas cellulosic ethanol can be produced from agricultural waste such as prairie switchgrass, wood chips, and cornhusks.
2. Why did auto makers produce cars that could operate using ethanol as well as gasoline before there was an adequate number of service stations that could provide ethanol?
They did this as a way to get a break from fuel-economy standards.
3. When were the first cars produced that were capable of using ethanol?
The Model T cars produced by Henry Ford in 1908
4. In a paragraph, describe Brazil’s experience with ethanol. What did the Fortune article claim was Brazil’s key to success?
Brazil’s experience of ethanol has over all been a good one. The sugar cane needed to make the ethanol is in their own country so they have cut back drastically on their dependence on Middle East countries for imported oil. Because of the cut back and keeping the money in their own county, they are able to develop some of their poverty stricken areas and make improvements.
The key to Brazil’s success is that the consumers are choosing ethanol rather than being forced to buy it.
5. What is the significance of a yellow gas cap?
It means that the vehicle is E85 ready and it is able to take ethanol.
6. Describe bio-diesel
Bio-diesel is biodegradable and it’s non-toxic. It has significantly few emissions than petroleum bases diesel when burned. It can function in current diesel engines and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as a primary transport energy source. It is usually made from vegetable oils or animal fats.
7. Explain the term “flex-fuel engine”. What American auto manufacturer introduced the first prototype of a flex-fuel engine?
A flex fuel engine is one that can be swapped back and forth from an ethanol engine to one that can take gasoline. This engine helps avoid problem that normal ethanol only cars develop like weak pickup and corrosion. The first auto maker to develop a flex-fuel engine was Ford in 2002.
8. Trace the progress of H.R. 6 for viewers to our web sites. (dates introduced, amended, pass or rejected)
September 7, 2005: NHTSA Fuel Study Use was initiated
September 22, 2005: DOI Hydrocarbon Leasing Regulations was made. On October 1, 2005: DOE Energy Efficiency Pilot Program was introduced
October 7, 2005: the GSA Evaluation Program was established and NRC Studies on Uses of Radiation Sources
November 7, 2005: DOE Deepwater Natural Gas Solicitation was proposed, DOE Guidelines of Transactions were issued, DOE Study/ Reports on Benefits on Economic Dispatch was issued, and DOI Report on Potential Hydropower Facilities was submitted
December 6, 2005: President’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Task Force was established and DOE National Priority Project Designation was published
February 6, 2006: Treasury Qualifying Advanced Coal Project Program was established and President’s Committee on Climate Change Technology was established
August 8, 2006: the DOE Clean Coal Power Initiative Program report is due, DOE Tribal Energy Resource Agreement Regulations will be developed, and DOE Report on the Energy Technology Industry will be submitted
9. What is the purpose of the fuel hybrid vehicle commercialization initiative?
The purpose is to improve technologies for the commercialization of hybrid/flexible fuel vehicles. It’s also intended to reduce petroleum consumption by bringing new clean technologies to the market faster.
10. What is the nation’s largest renewable energy resource?
Hydroelectric dams
11. What is the purpose of the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative?
The purpose is to develop the technology to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen for use in fuel-cell vehicles.
12. List seven items mentioned in the 2005 energy tax bill that
taxpayers can claim as credit against their tax bill.
The construction of energy-efficient offices and homes, the purchase of energy efficient heating and cooling systems and appliances, purchase of solar equipment, the cost of energy efficient equipment installed if the equipment reduces the energy and power consumption of a commercial building by 50 percent, credits for the contractors of new energy efficient homes if the homes achieve an energy savings of 50 percent or more over the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code, the purchase of water heaters, heat pumps, air conditioners, furnaces, and other equipment that achieve certain efficiency levels when purchases for residential properties, manufacturers who produce highly energy-efficient dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators, and tax credit for the purchase of solar, photovoltaic and fuel cell properties for use in residences. All of these are either tax credits or tax deductions that can be taken.