Should we use Nuclear power in the UK

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Jaman khan

Should we use Nuclear power in the UK?

The main sources of energy that we use in the world today are fossil fuels; these are hydrocarbons found on the earths crust. However these sources are running out, they’re non renewable resources and raise environmental concerns. A global movement towards the generation of renewable energy is therefore under way to help meet increased energy demands(please refer to figure 7). Nuclear power is a form of extracting energy from materials such as plutonium and uranium. Creating energy from these materials can provide future electricity for the world today. Nuclear power is a long-term sustainable energy for the demand of energy now.

How Nuclear Power works?

(Reference:  Last updated: 20/2/09)

Nuclear power stations work in pretty much the same way as fossil fuel-burning stations, except that a "chain reaction" inside a nuclear reactor makes the heat instead. The reactor uses Uranium rods as fuel, and the heat is generated by nuclear fission into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which split roughly in half and release energy in the form of heat. Water is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away, this then heats water to make steam. The steam drives turbines which drive generators producing the energy. (Updated: Nov 20, 2008, ).

Diagram: What happens to a Uranium atom in Nuclear Fission?

(Last updated: 5, Feb, 2009 Title: Nuclear Chemistry )

What is Radiation?

During the splitting of the atom Uranium (U235), or any other fissile nuclide [i.e. Plutonium], radiation is produced. Any material that produces radiation is radioactive. There are four types of radiation associated with nuclear fission, called α (Alpha), β (Beta), γ (Gamma) and Neutron radiation; this last type is emitted during the nuclear fission process. Neutrons are also very penetrative, but less so than gamma-radiation, and have an effect on human tissue approximately midway between beta and gamma-radiation.

What is Uranium?

Uranium is a weakly radioactive metal that occurs throughout the earths crust, being present in the most rocks and soils along with many rivers and in seawater. Only slightly more radioactive than granite used in buildings, uranium is about 500 times more abundant than gold and about as common as tin. Uranium is a highly efficient material. (Last visited: Nov, 20, 2008,  )

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Advantages

Nuclear power has many advantages when using it safely. There is plenty of the material which is used for making energy and its great alternative for using fossil fuels. Today more than 15% of the world’s electricity comes from nuclear power ( Date visited: 1st July 2008). Which ever way you look at it, the UK faces an energy crisis. If it is agreed to use nuclear power on an international basis it will cut out carbon emissions, which will be very appealing. Nuclear creates no carbon emissions at all ...

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