Nuclear%20Energy

1
Nuclear Energy

• Christopher Liu, Michael Coppinger
• APES, Period 4

2
What is Nuclear Energy?

• Energy derived from nuclear reactions.
• Currently, only through nuclear fission

3
How Does It Work? Nuclear Fission

• Decay of an atom into two different atoms
• Produces energy (as heat) and additional neutrons
  as products

4
How Does It Work? Nuclear Reactors
5
How are We Using It? Domestic
 
 

• Local Reactors
• Diablo Canyon
• San Luis Obispo
• San Onofre
• 45 miles SE of Long Beach

• Current number of reactors in the US 104

6
How are We Using it? Domestic

• US is THE largest producer of nuclear energy
• Accounts for 19 of total energy output
• Produces 821 billion kWHs of energy annually

7
How are We Using It? International
Country Percent Reliance
France 77.7
Slovakia 54.0
Belgium 54.0
Ukraine 47.2
Hungary 43.3
Slovenia 41.7

• 17 of energy production worldwide
• Over 430 plants
• Majority used for electricity production

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What are the Advantages?

• NO emissions
• NO air pollution
• NO water pollution
• Once built, reliable and cheap energy
• Uses small amounts of land
• Abundant fuel source

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What are the Disadvantages?

• Produces radioactive waste
• Must be stored and managed for thousands of years
• Potential terrorist acquisition
• Possibility of accidents
• Chernobyl
• Fukushima

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How Likely is an Accident?

• Only three major accidents
• Chernobyl (Doesn't count, they're Soviets)
• Three Mile Island (Radiation was entirely
  contained)
• Fukushima
• No known terrorist acquisitions

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So, It's Safe?

• Coal vs. Nuclear 4,000 deaths 1 death
• One of the safest forms of energy production

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What Can We Expect in the Future?

• Nuclear use will expand in future
• China and India
• Possibility of cold fusion technology
• Radioactive waste?
• Geological Repositories
• Waste Reusel

13
Bibliography

• http//nuclearenergyissafe.weebly.com/the-science.
  html
• http//www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/list-power-r
  eactor-units.html
• http//mapawatt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/US_
  net_generation_source_pie_chart_2010.jpg
• http//www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41.html
• http//www.fi.edu/guide/wester/benefits.html
• http//www.the9billion.com/2011/03/24/death-rate-f
  rom-nuclear-power-vs-coal/
• http//www.extremetech.com/extreme/149090-nasas-co
  ld-fusion-tech-could-put-a-nuclear-reactor-in-ever
  y-home-car-and-plane