Nuclear Energy and Usefulness

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how ever since an Italian physicist, Enrico Fermi succeeded in producing the first nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago in December of 1942 the usefulness and the drawbacks of nuclear energy have been debated all over the world. It focuses on the benefits of nuclear energy and discusses why we should indeed use it. It also examines the concerns regarding the use of nuclear power and describe ways of overcoming them.

Outline
Types of Nuclear Reactions
Energy Release in Nuclear Reactions
Public Concerns about Nuclear Energy
Benefits of Nuclear Energy
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"As noted earlier, most nuclear power plants are based on the 'fission' process. During various stages of the 'fission' nuclear cycle there is a high level of radioactivity present. Nuclear weapons can also be made from the nuclear fuels uranium-235 and plutonium-239. These two facts have prompted a public outcry against the use of nuclear energy, even for peaceful purposes. An accident at the Chernobyl (located in the then USSR) power plant in 1986 and a 1979 incident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant (near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) further reinforced these concerns. As a result, the use of nuclear energy has declined in the US and most of the world during the last several years. In my opinion these concerns about the peaceful uses of nuclear energy are overblown and nuclear energy deserves a second look as a solution for the ever-increasing energy needs of the world."

More papers on Nuclear Energy and Usefulness:

• Research Paper # 22730 : "Nuclear Energy"
• Analytical Essay # 149729 : "UK Nuclear Energy Policy"
• Essay # 28913 : "Risks and Benefits of Nuclear Energy"

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