THIS SLIDE SHOW IS PRESENTED TO YOU BY: ANNIE PIETCH,TOMMY RUMSEY, AND NICK HAYMOND

1. Nuclear energy THIS SLIDE SHOW IS PRESENTED TO YOU BY: ANNIE PIETCH,TOMMY RUMSEY, AND NICK HAYMOND

2. Generating and gathering nuclear energy • To gather nuclear energy a nuclear reactor is needed (see next page). • Nuclear energy is created by fission, and fusion. • Fission- to split and atom. When fission occurs, the atom is split in two equal parts by neutrons set free from other atoms which sets free the neutrons which then go on to set other neutrons free from other atoms and so on. • Fusion- is the opposite of fission. It occurs when two nuclei are presented at incredible temperature and pressure to form a single nucleus of a different substance.

3. How a Nuclear Power Plant Works • Containment Structure- it is a concrete shield used to contain chemicals if there should be a leak. • Control Rods- used to absorb spare neutrons so that one split nucleus for the next split in the chain reaction. They are usually made of boron or cadmium. • Reactor- is the part of the power plant where the uranium nuclei is split to release the neutrons. • Steam Generator- The steam generator’s main function is to transfer heat from the reactor to the secondary side of the tubes which contains feed water. • Steam Line- Carries steam created by the steam generator to the turbines. • Pump- Installed in the primary coolant loop to circulate the hot pressurized coolant. During this process, the heat generated in the reactor core is also transferred to the secondary coolant loop. • Nuclear Generator- the part of the nuclear power plant that creates energy. • Turbine- it is spun by the steam and as it spins, it powers the generator. • Cooling Water Condenser- Changes steam into hot water • Cooling Tower- Is a heat rejection device, which extracts waste heat to the atmosphere through the cooling of a water stream to a lower temperature • Fuel Rod- The area where the nuclei is split. • Transformer- Is a device in which two circuits are coupled by a • magnetic field that is linked to both.

4. Fission and fusion • The nuclear fission process is when a heavy atomic nucleus spontaneously splits apart releasing energy and energetic particles creating two more nuclei. The released neutrons then bombard other nuclei starting the process over again. • Fission is the technique used in nuclear reactors. • Fusion sometimes occurs naturally. • Fusion can occur in all the stars and the sun. • Fusion is when two nuclei merge when exposed to extreme conditions. • Fusion is also used in nuclear bombs. • http://www.schooltube.com/video/36fd40f51284750f7a9d/

5. Benefits of nuclear energy • The use of nuclear energy gives off less carbon dioxide and other green house gasses that can be harmful to the atmosphere. • Nuclear energy has a large power generator capacity which makes it able to meet industrial needs. • Nuclear fuels will last much longer than coal, oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuels. • Nuclear power plants produce 17% of the worlds energy. • The electrical energy from nuclear power plants is available when needed not just when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. • It has a low operating cost and a low electricity cost.

6. The dangers of Nuclear energy • There are many dangers and cautions of nuclear energy • One danger of nuclear power is deadly waste. No one has found a way to safely dispose of the radioactive waste. • Radioactive nuclear meltdowns can happen. These meltdowns can cause serious illness and genetic mutations. • Nuclear energy can also be used in warfare. The construction of the atomic bomb is an example of this. • In World War II the Americans used atomic warfare to kill many people in the Japanese cities on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. • Atomic meltdowns have taken place in Chernobyl, and Japan.

7. History of nuclear power • In 1789, Martin Kalproth discovers uranium. • Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity in 1896. • In 1934, Enrico Fermi bombards uranium with neutrons. • In 1939, scientists confirm the phenomenon of nuclear fission. • In 1942 Enrico Fermi demonstrates the Worlds first nuclear reactor in Chicago.

8. Using nuclear power • Nuclear energy is used to power ships and submarines which use nuclear based propulsion. Nuclear submarines can stay underwater longer than diesel submarines. • Nuclear energy is also used in the medical world for x-rays and chemotherapy. • Fission reactors are used to power some rockets. Nuclear energy powers other space vehicles too. • Radioisotopes and radiation can also be used in agriculture and food. Gamma rays are used to sterilize insect eggs so the insects can’t reproduce and infest farming areas. • The greatest use of nuclear energy is generating electricity.

9. Waste of nuclear power • Nuclear waste is radioactive leftovers from the generating of nuclear energy. • The dangerous waste may get into the water cycle and into animals and vegetation. • Nuclear waste takes about three million years for the dangerous waste to decay to background levels. • The three types of nuclear waste are high level, low level, and mill tailings. • Nuclear waste from a reactor is divided into the categories of fuel, and non fuel wastes. • Fuel Wastes- fission products that leak out of fuel rods and into cooling water. • Non fuel wastes- when neutrons bombard anything other than fuel and cause these things to become radioactive.

10. Renewing and “storing” nuclear energy • Nuclear energy cannot be stored in a conventional way. • However, there is a form of nuclear power called an atomic battery which can be looked at as storing. • Atomic Battery- a device which uses the charged particle emissions from a radioactive isotope to directly electrically charge a circuit or cause a mechanical movement on a microscopic scale due to electrostatic charge buildup effects. • Nuclear energy cannot be renewed. However, lots of energy is generated from one split particle of uranium.

11. Health problems caused by nuclear energy • Radiation can have multiple negative health effects on the human body. • Radiation consists of subatomic particles travelling near the velocity of light which can penetrate deep inside the human body. There they can damage biological cells and therefore initiate a cancer. • If radiation particles strike other types of cells they can cause genetic diseases. • Of course, if nuclear energy is used in war people can be killed and injured. • Very high radiation doses can destroy body functions and lead to death within 60 days. • Routine releases of radioactivity can reduce our life expectancy by 15 minutes. • Mining uranium leaves mill tailings which lead to radon exposures.

12. Fun Facts on Nuclear energy • Henri Becquerel’s discovery of nuclear energy in 1896 was an accident. He discovered it by noticing that photographic plates stored near uranium were blackened like x-ray plates. • The three main fission fuels are uranium, plutonium, and thorium. Fusion is usually hydrogen into helium. • Nuclear power is most used in France where it supplies 80 % of the country’s electricity. • One ton of uranium produces more energy than several million tons of coal or several million barrels of coal. • Nuclear energy only makes up about 19% of the energy generated in the United States. • Russia has already begun to build floating nuclear power plants which cost about 2.9 million dollars.

13. Nuclear Warfare • The first nuclear attacks took place in WWII in 1945 when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing over 200,000 people. • No other nuclear attacks have occurred, but many countries now possess nuclear weapons. • In addition to free-falling bombs, the two main types of nuclear missiles are ballistic missiles, which follow a unguided trajectory, and cruise missiles, which fly like small aircraft and may take a preset course at a low altitude. • The three categories of these missiles are land-based missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and sea-launched missiles. • The two types of nuclear bombs are hydrogen bombs and atomic bombs. The hydrogen bomb has never been used in war, but is thousands of times stronger than atomic bombs.

14. Reasons nuclear energy isn’t popularly used • Japan is the only place capable of making the heavy duty steel used for reactors. • The radioactive waste can’t be safely disposed of or stored anywhere. • Nuclear reactors require water use even when there are shortages of water. Electricity generation accounts for almost half of the nation’s water withdrawals. • Nuclear energy gives off unsafe radiation. • Nuclear energy is already a mature technology so it won’t get any cheaper.

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY "10 Reasons Not to Invest in Nuclear Energy." Center for American Progress. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/07/nuclear_energy.html>. "Atomic Battery." Webster's Online Dictionary. Web. <http://www.websters- online-dictionary.org/definitions/Atomic+battery>. "Nuclear Waste." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_waste_body.html>. "Nuclear Weapons." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_weapons.html>. "ScienceIQ.com." ScienceIQ.com. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://www.scienceiq.com/Facts/FissionandFusion.cfm>. Thomas, Edwin. "How Is Nuclear Energy Stored?" EHow. Demand Media, 27 June 2009. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ehow.com/how- does_5130950_nuclear-energy-stored

16. Bibliography (continued) Gibson, Diane. Nuclearpower. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2002. Print. Hawkes, Nigel, and Denis Bishop. Nuclear Power. New York: Gloucester, 1984. Print. "Key Areas of a Nuclear Power Plant." The Virtual Nuclear Tourist. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nucleartourist.com/areas/areas.htm>. Morgan, Nina. Nuclear Power. Austin, TX: RaintreeSteck-Vaughn, 1998. Print. "Nuclear Energy Facts." Our Energy. Web. <http://www.our- energy.com/energy_facts/nuclear_energy_facts.html>. Parker, Steve. Nuclear Energy. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Pub., 2004. Print. Sherman, Josepha. Nuclear Power. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2004. Print.