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Nuclear Power Plants. By: Efrain Lomeli Arthur Molina Daniel Perez. What are nuclear power plants?. They’re thermal power stations They function on a nuclear reactor They use heat in order to power the station so the reactors can function Heat is produced by fission in the reactor
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Nuclear Power Plants By: Efrain Lomeli Arthur Molina Daniel Perez
What are nuclear power plants? • They’re thermal power stations • They function on a nuclear reactor • They use heat in order to power the station so the reactors can function • Heat is produced by fission in the reactor • The steam is used to turn huge steam turbines which drives machines called alternators that produce electricity. • Then the electricity is sent to power sources
Dangers of nuclear power plants • Scientific studies have shown that people that live closer to power plants have a higher risk of getting cancer • High amounts of carbon dioxide are let into the air • If there was a nuclear disaster radioactive chemicals would spread out through the area
Disasters caused by nuclear power plants • 1979 a power plant at Three Mile Island malfunctioned • Cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the # 2 reactor • Chernobyl disasterwas a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 in Ukraine • March 16 2011 the Fukushima Daiichi power plant’s reactor blew up • This was a series of equipment failures,nuclear meltdowns, and releases of radioactive activity.
Aftermath of disasters • Chernobyl is inhabitable at least another 20,000 years • Cause a lot of birth defects and habitat destruction • 2 years after the 3 mile island incident, deaths of infants and children sky rocketed • The site is permanently shut down • The Fukushima disaster crippled a big chunk of the country • Inhabitable for at least 20 more years
Why some people think nuclear plants are “good”. • Produce energy faster and cheaper. • Cost a lot to make but are cheap to keep running. • Small amounts of nuclear waste can be disposed into the ground. • Most nuclear power plants run on bio fuels • These are good for the environment.
Why we don’t think these reasons are “good”. • Not all plants run on bio fuels, some run on fossil fuels • Power plants run on uranium • Uranium is radioactive and very active • High amounts of carbon are spread throughout the process of making energy
How do nuclear power plants affect the environment? • They release big amounts of carbon dioxide. • Too much carbon dioxide can interrupt natural chemical changes and cause global warming • The power plants release low level radiation • The waste disposed from the power plants is very dangerous
Nuclear waste and Radiation Sicknesses • Nuclear waste isn’t always disposed properly • It can either be buried in the ground or it’s disposed in water drains which goes into the ocean and water sources which can cause Radiation sickness • Radiation sickness is when body is exposed to radiation • It’s characterized by nausea, vomiting, headaches, cramps, diarrhea, loss of hair, decrease in white blood cells. It can also cause deformites
Ways you can help! • You can help by logging on onto http://stopnuclearpoweruk.net/ • Or you can log onto http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/nuclear/