Nuclear energy is one of the most debated since it was discovered, since its advantages are well known and also the inconveniences of using it. Nuclear or atomic reactions occur in the nuclei of atoms and can happen in nature or can be caused by humans. Upon discovering that we could provoke them, we began using the energy they gave off to take advantage of it in different ways, especially as electricity.
However, in addition to producing very polluting waste, two great disasters are known in history because of the loss of control in accidents related to its handling. It is also known that it produces much of the electricity you have worldwide and that it is one of the most immediate energies. If you are interested in this topic, you have arrived at the indicated place, because in ecology, we tell you what are the advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear energyamong other important details.
What is nuclear or atomic energy and what is it for
What is atomic or nuclear energy It is the first thing to know before starting to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. This type of energy is released when a nuclear reaction is given, that is, it occurs in the nucleus of an atom, and can happen spontaneously or artificially. It is a very powerful energy and, therefore, is used for various aspects of our life.
What is nuclear energy used for? Atomic energy is used to produce Electric, mechanical and thermal energywhich allows us to have electricity and other applications, such as medicine and agriculture.
However, it is not only used for survival purposes, such as obtaining any of these energies, or for the improvement of the quality of life, but has also been used warlikely, during the war, with terrible results.
How nuclear energy is obtained: uranium
For those who wonder what the raw material is for the operation of a nuclear plant, that is, to obtain nuclear energy, the answer is Uranium. This metallic chemical element, slightly radioactive, is known with the chemical symbol or its atomic number is 92, since it has 92 protons and 92 electrons and, in addition, in its nucleus it has between 142 and 146 neutrons. After the use of this metal chemical element to obtain the energy of its nucleus, waste is produced, such as The plutoniumvery polluting and Very radioactivemuch more than uranium in origin.
Specifically, during the fission of the nuclei of the uranium atoms, some of the newly released our nuclei cause these nuclei to become plutonium. This happens especially with the Uranium-235.
In addition, it is convenient to know the Difference between fission and nuclear fusion. The first, nuclear fission is what is used to obtain atomic energy, separating the nuclei, since it is the one that has been better managed and contain for distribution in the form of other energies. On the other hand, the second, the nuclear fusion, is the one that is done by union of the nuclei, also producing energy, but for the moment this way of obtaining it is unfeasible.
Being clear about atomic energy, then we explain what are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear centrals and the energy they produce.
What are the advantages of nuclear energy per fission
As we have advanced before, this type of energy presents certain improvements and advances for humans. Thus, these are the main Advantages of nuclear energy due to fission and nuclear plants:
Generates a lot of electricity
The first thing that comes to mind thinking about the positive part of this issue is that a lot of electric power is obtained, so more people can access it, something very important today and, above all, in places where the weather is very cold.
In addition, a nuclear power plant is generating electricity almost all year, approximately 90% of this. This makes prices not so changing, something that does happen in the case of fossil fuels, since they depend on availability and are much closer to exhausting.
No greenhouse gases occur
During obtaining atomic energy, from nuclear plants, there are no greenhouse gases, such as CO2 or N2O. The whitish smoke that comes out of the chimneys of nuclear plants is not smoke with gases, but in reality it is water vapor, since water is used during the process of fission of the nuclei and it evaporates. Therefore, chimneys do not pollute the air.
Oil dependence is reduced
The fact of producing more electricity and other energies, such as thermal, with atomic energy causes the use of fossil fuels to obtain electricity. Something that is currently very convenient because more fossil fuels are being consumed than occur, therefore we are running out of reservations.
Damages the environment less
The production of this type of energy causes less damage to the environment, since the emission of greenhouse gases is avoided as well as the use of fossil fuels. Obviously, the damages are not null, but in this sense they are considered minors. This, obviously, as long as a nuclear accident is not produced.
This vision is what defends those in favor of the use of this type of energy, but everything has inconvenience, as we will see below, which are used in the explanations of those who are against their use. However, we must see that all these aforementioned, positive and negative arguments are real. Here you can learn more about how nuclear energy affects the environment.
Disadvantages of nuclear energy by fission
There are risks of nuclear energy, which have already suffered throughout history, therefore they are not only theoretical. What are the Disadvantages of a nuclear power plant And the energy it produces? What are the Disadvantages of atomic or nuclear energy? It seems that it is an issue that the general public at this height already has quite clear, due to the different accidents that have been over the years, but in reality there are many people who still ask these questions, because they really do not really know this type of energy well. Pay attention because there are several inconveniences and, in addition, they have a great negative effect on the planet:
It does not save so much on fossil fuels
Although it is a very commented argument as an advantage, the reality is that the large amount of fossil fuel and production of greenhouse gases is used for transport, not of electricity production. Therefore, it does not save so much in this regard and the materials necessary for atomic energy, mostly, are transported to plants using fossil fuels.
Radioactive waste occurs
As we have said before, part of the waste of the result of nuclear fission produce radiation, much more than Uranium itself. This is the case of the plutonium, which is stored in swimming pools within nuclear or container plants, in principle highly safe, to be buried at great depth in different areas of the planet to prevent them from contaminating the environment. These places are known as nuclear cemeteries.
They are really waste of very difficult elimination and dangerous and, in addition, toxic spills or escapes that seriously contaminate the environment can be given. Some results of such disaster with these hazardous waste are the loss of biodiversity and the malformation of the body of growing and fetus living beings, in addition to serious health problems such as cancer.
Nuclear accidents
Nuclear accidents are rare, but they are very dangerous. Although the centrals have very sophisticated security systems, accidents that have been devastating have been given, it is the case of Chernobil and Fukushima. In both cases, the problem occurred when an unforeseen event appeared during fission and people in charge made wrong decisions or did not arrive on time. Therefore, for more security systems that there is always the human factor, so errors can be made.
He Chernobyl nuclear accident or Chernobyl was the worst in history and Fukushima nuclear accident It was not as serious as the first but also produced big problems. In an accident of this type, a large amount of kilometers to the rounding are affected by radioactivity, living beings die, water and food are totally contaminated, there are also serious diseases such as malformations and cancer, etc. In addition, the environment of this area may take several decades or some century to start recovering well.
Nuclear weapons for war thanks to atomic energy
Another alarming disadvantage is the use given to nuclear energy in the military area. The military industry made use of the atomic energy Building two atomic or nuclear bombs, which were launched by the United States of America on Japan, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, during World War II.
The result of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs It was so devastating that this was the first and only case in which this type of energy for war has been used. In fact, several countries signed the well -known nuclear non -proliferation treaty, although there will always be a risk of being used again.
Increase our uranium dependence
If its use is increasingly widespread and its use is increasingly widespread, uranium will be increasingly demanded. This will imply an overexploitation and the point in which the reserves will not be sufficient and a great dependence will appear, the prices and availability can vary greatly, just as it happens with fossil fuels.
Nuclear power plants are very expensive
Finally, nuclear plants are very expensive to build and maintain, they suppose a large investment and not all countries are prepared to be able to do it. In addition, there are countries that do not have places for uranium extraction, so again they will depend on other countries to obtain this energy.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Fusion
As we have said, there are two ways to obtain electrical energy thanks to the atomic energy: FISCIPS AND FUSION. However, we only achieve it artificially through fission, that is, separating the nuclei from uranium atoms. Therefore, today to produce electricity with this system, only fesk are carried out in nuclear power plants, thanks to nuclear reactors, and no mergents are made, although they continue to investigate and there are specialized centers to develop this technique. Therefore, this is one of the main Disadvantages of nuclear fusion.
In principle, the unfeasibility of this way of obtaining this energy is due to the fact that there is a great difficulty in heating gas, since very high and constant temperatures are required, as well as the fact of having to maintain a sufficient number of nuclei during the time required to obtain a higher amount of energy than the one spent in the process. All this, in addition to difficult is a very expensive process.
So, for the moment, Nuclear fusion cannot be applied In the generation of electricity, but this phenomenon is known, compared to fission, which could offer important Advantages against nuclear fissionlike the following:
- The nuclear fusion would imply a fuel source that could virtually not depleted.
- Chain reactions and other problems that occur in the nuclear reactor would be avoided, which cause great disasters.
- The waste that is generated in the fusion is less radioactive.
If you want to read more articles similar to Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energywe recommend that you enter our category of non -renewable energy.
