GreenLearning - eCards

Nuclear

Imagine a source of electricity that promises to be clean and have no emissions and whose source of fuel is found right here in Canada. After the scientific discovery of the splitting of atoms in the last century, many people held out hope for peaceful uses of nuclear technology, and countries started using nuclear power to generate electricity. But before long, environmentalists and economists began to question whether nuclear power could keep its promises, and whether it was such a good idea after all.

Nuclear Power PlantThe energy source for nuclear power is uranium - a radioactive element found in underground deposits in Canada, Australia, West Africa and Kazakhstan. Radioactive materials give off harmful radiation through high-energy rays or particles, and they usually continue to do so for a very long time.

Uranium ore must be mined from the ground and then processed to produce fuel bundles for use in a nuclear power plant. Because uranium is radioactive, this Radioactive elements are unstable substances that are constantly disintegrating and giving off energy.process is a challenging one for both environmental and security reasons. Disposal of the toxic waste products created at nuclear power plants is also a challenge.


Thousands protest in Tokyo after the Fukushima disaster1

Canada has 21 operating nuclear reactors and now consumes about 4% of the world's uranium production. Nuclear power plants were built in Europe and North America from the 1950s to the early 1980s, but few nuclear power plants have been built since then. Some countries, such as China and South Korea, have continued to build reactors, but for a number of reasons most have not.

Nuclear Power PlantIn Ontario over the past 35 years, nuclear power has been a significant but somewhat unpopular part of overall electricity production. Ontario has nuclear reactors in Pickering, Darlington and Bruce.

The nuclear power debate has recently heated up again. Some see it as a good solution for our growing energy needs and a possible way to combat global warming. Do we need it? Can we afford it? Can we accept the risks? Learn more and make your voice heard!

How Do Sub-Atomic Particles Become Energy For Human Use?

The key component in a nuclear power plant is the nuclear reactor. Water is heated in the reactor core through fission of uranium atoms to make steam. The generator part of the reactor splits the nuclei (which is at the centre) of uranium atoms, creating heat as well as flying particles of atoms that collide and start a chain reaction. Contained within a large chamber, this very fast chain reaction of millions of tiny particles crashing into each other becomes the source of heat for tanks of water. With temperatures rising to 600 degrees Celsius, the water is turned into a constant source of steam.

Inside a Nuclear ReactorThe chain reaction must be carefully controlled to produce a steady output of energy. An uncontrolled chain reaction results in huge releases of energy that can cause a reactor meltdown. Most nuclear plant designs, including Canada's Candu reactors, use a containment system that is intended to prevent the release of contamination during a meltdown.

The steam produced by this process of nuclear fission is used to turn turbo-generators that generate electricity in much the same way as heat in a coal-fired power plant. After turning the turbines, the steam is cooled so that it can be returned to the steam generator, and the heated cooling water is returned to the lakes or cooling towers from which it was taken.

One of the biggest challenges of nuclear power is what to do with the used up (or "spent") fuel-bundles. Several components in these fuel-bundles remain radioactive for one million years while others could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Spent fuel-bundles can be reprocessed or transported to long-term storage sites, but neither of these options provides a safe, permanent solution. Disposal of radioactive waste is a big concern around the world and an on-going subject of international research. The Canadian federal government is considering several options for Canada's waste fuel-bundles.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Power?

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Can Nuclear Power Help Meet Our Needs?

The debate about nuclear power has always had strong "for" and "against" arguments. It is an issue people feel strongly about.

Those who support nuclear power believe that

Opponents argue:

Today's concerns about global warming and about non-renewable energy sources like oil have brought nuclear power into the spotlight again, and we can expect to keep hearing from people on both sides of the debate.

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