Go Greener Tips

Many people are frightened by the controversies that are surrounding nuclear power. However, it is impossible to deny that nuclear power has great energy potential. Often, all that people can think about are the terrible incidents, such as Nagasaki and Chernobyl. These incidents provide powerful ammunition against nuclear power. However, it is important to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages to nuclear power as alternative power.

Many countries enjoy safe nuclear power that is an alternative means of energy. For example, France uses nuclear power for about 75% of its energy, and it can say that it has the cleanest air of any industrialized nation. It also has the cheapest electricity in Europe.

Nuclear Fusion is important to understand so that a good decision can be made as to whether or not it is the best option for a country. Fission makes energy by taking the atom and splitting it. It requires very heavy metals in order to work. Fusion is the process of fusing two atoms together. This uses light nuclei, which are variations of hydrogen, for the most part.

When the atoms fuse together, the product made is helium. This is lighter than the hydrogen atoms were. The mass that was lost during the reaction is what creates the energy. This is usually in the form of heat, which can be then used to power a turbine and create electricity.

The main problem with nuclear power is that a large degree of heat must be maintained in order to make the reaction keep going for a long period of time. Both fission and fusion can create power – but it is important to decide which is better.

Fusion creates less radioactive waste – and the waste that it does drop is usually only dangerous for about 50 years. Fission, on the other hand, creates lots of waste that is reactive for tens of thousands years. This is the biggest problem with fission.

Another thing to consider is that fusion has almost no safety risks. It is a process that is self-sustained. This does mean that once a problem starts to occur, it is almost impossible to stop the reaction. Fusion, on the other hand, depends on several factors. The biggest factor is heat. If there was a malfunction, the reactors would cool, which will stop the reaction and therefore have zero risk of meltdown.

Also, the materials that are needed for nuclear fusion are found in abundance, and cannot be used to make weapons.

With all of these factors, nuclear fusion is a viable option for power. However, scientists are still working on finding a way to actually create a self-sustained fusion reactor that is energy efficient as well. The present fission reactors create energy, but have the risks that are mentioned – such as a lot of radioactive waste, the potential for meltdowns, and of course the materials that can be used to produce weapons.

Once fusion is a viable option, it might become the cleanest and most renewable source of energy on the planet.