What is Nuclear Energy?

The world is now in a new and dangerous nuclear era. Nucleus is a part of atom that contains most of its mass and that carries a positive electric charge. It is the central and the core part of atom. Neutron, proton and electron are also the parts of atom. 

It is a great source of energy to man. It is so precious for the world that no scientist likes to give it up. The father of nuclear energy is Highmen Rickover (spelling). The father of nuclear era is Albert Einstein. First, let us get to know about nuclear energy.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy is a powerful form of energy produced by converting matter into energy. It is done by splitting nuclei of atoms. In other words, energy created in a nuclear reaction is called nuclear energy or atomic energy. Nuclear reactions are the changes that can occur in the structure of the nuclei of atom. Nuclear energy is produced naturally and in man-made operations. 

Some nuclear energy is produced naturally. For example, the Sun and other stars make heat and light by nuclear reactions. Nuclear energy can be man-made also. Machines called nuclear reactors, parts of nuclear power plants, provide electricity for many cities. Man-made nuclear reactions also occur in the blast of atomic and hydrogen bombs.

Nuclear energy is produced in two different ways, in one, large nuclei are split to release energy and it is called as nuclear fission. In the other method, small nuclei are combined to release energy and it is called as nuclear fusion. The atomic bomb and nuclear reactors work by fission. Nuclear fusion happens only under very hot conditions. The Sun and the stars create heat and light through nuclear fusion. The hydrogen bomb, humanity's most powerful and destructive weapon, also works by fusion.

 

HISTORY

In the early 20^th century, radioactive elements, such as radium, released immense amounts of energy, according to the principle of mass–energy equivalence. In 1932, James Chadwick discovered the neutron. In December 2, 1942, the Nuclear Age began at the University of Chicago when Enrico Fermi made a chain reaction in a pile of uranium. On December 20 1951, America established a nuclear power plant. In February 21, 1956, the first major nuclear power plant opened in England.

I like to share something about nuclear wars. During the second world war, in August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb (called as the little boy) on Hiroshima, Japan, killing over 1, 00,000 of people. In August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb (called as bad man) on Nagasaki, Japan, killing over 40,000 people. In November 1, 1952, the first large version of the hydrogen bomb (thousands of times more powerful than the atomic bomb) was exploded by the United States for testing purposes.

 

ADVANTAGES

The Earth has limited supplies of coal and oil. Nuclear power plants could still produce electricity after coal and oil become insufficient. Nuclear power plants need less fuel. One ton of uranium produces more energy than is produced by several million tons of coal or several million barrels of oil. Coal and oil burning plants pollute the air. Well-operated nuclear power plants do not release contaminants into the environment.

Nuclear Electric Plants, Nuclear Ships and Submarines use controlled nuclear energy. Nuclear power provides about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity. U.S., France, and Japan are using 50% of nuclear generated electricity in their country and more than 150 naval vessels are using nuclear energy. America produces 27% of the nuclear energy and 31 countries use nuclear energy.

 

DISADVANTAGES

The nations of the world now have more than enough nuclear bombs to kill every person on Earth. The two most powerful nations, Russia and the United States have about 50,000 nuclear weapons between them. What would happen, if there were to be a nuclear war? What would happen, if terrorists get their hands on nuclear weapons? Or what would happen, if nuclear weapons were launched by accident?

Nuclear explosions produce radiation. The nuclear radiation harms the cells of the body, which can make people sick and it can even kill them. Illness can strike people years after their exposure to nuclear radiation. One possible type of reactor disaster is known as a meltdown. In such an accident, the fission reaction goes out of control, leading to a nuclear explosion and the emission of great amounts of radiation. For example, we know about the recent meltdown in china. 3.5 lakhs of people lost their properties in this accident.

Nuclear reactors also have waste disposal problems. Reactors produce nuclear waste products, which emit dangerous radiation. Because, they could kill people who touch them and they cannot be thrown away like ordinary garbage. Nuclear weapons emit large amounts of thermal radiation as visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. The chief hazards are burns and eye injuries. 

The light is so powerful that it can start fires that spread swiftly in the remains left by a blast. The lifetime of a nuclear power plant is forty years and amble of money is wasted for protecting them, when their lifetime is over. One more thing is the fuel for the reactor is cheap but lots of money is spent for the disposal of waste.

THE FUTURE

Though there are many disadvantages, the world is moving towards establishing more Nuclear power plants. According to the World Nuclear Association, globally during the 1980s one new nuclear reactor started up every 17 days on average, and by the year 2015 this rate could increase to one every 5 days. 

China has 25 reactors under construction, with plans to build more, while in the US the licenses of almost half its reactors have been extended to 60 years, and plans to build another dozen, are under serious consideration. 

China may achieve its long-term plan of having 40,000 megawatts of nuclear power capacity, four to five years ahead of schedule. There are 443 nuclear plants in the world. 62 plants are being built and 484 plants are under consideration. India has 17 nuclear plants and six plants are under construction.

CONCLUSION

Nuclear energy is very powerful and useful to the nation. It becomes positive or negative according to the user. It is precious. It is a modern way of producing electricity. Some people think that it is here to stay and we must learn to live with it. Others say that we should get rid of all nuclear weapons and power plants. 

I think we can go for nuclear power plants and nuclear energy, if the nuclear plants have the capacity to withstand any kind of natural calamity, if there is a proper wastage disposal and if it is not going to use for war and for destructive purposes.

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