Which of the following are disadvantages of nuclear?
Which of the following lists disadvantages of nuclear power? Nuclear power produces radioactive waste and air pollutants. Nuclear power uses up petroleum products and creates air pollution. Nuclear power produces radioactive waste and creates a potential for disaster.
Why is nuclear energy bad for the environment?
Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste A major environmental concern related to nuclear power is the creation of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, spent (used) reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes. These materials can remain radioactive and dangerous to human health for thousands of years.
What steps should be taken before the disposal of nuclear waste?
Nuclear waste must be processed to make it safe for disposal. This includes its collection and sorting; reducing its volume and changing its chemical and physical composition, such as concentrating liquid waste; and finally, its conditioning so it is immobilized and packaged before storage and disposal.
What does radioactive waste look like?
From the outside, nuclear waste looks exactly like the fuel that was loaded into the reactor — typically assemblies of cylindrical metal rods enclosing fuel pellets. After the atoms in the pellet split to release their energy, the pellets in tubes emerge as nuclear waste.
How long does radioactive waste last?
Radioactive isotopes eventually decay, or disintegrate, to harmless materials. Some isotopes decay in hours or even minutes, but others decay very slowly. Strontium-90 and cesium-137 have half-lives of about 30 years (half the radioactivity will decay in 30 years). Plutonium-239 has a half-life of 24,000 years.
What property of radioactive nuclear waste makes it so difficult?
What property of radioactive nuclear waste makes it so difficult to dispose of responsibly? It is extremely volatile.
What is the best reason to use nuclear power?
One of the reasons we should use more nuclear energy is that it produces high amounts of electricity without damaging the environment and atmosphere. Nuclear power plants produce less pollution than many of our other current energy sources, including coal fire and natural gas plants.
What is the main reason why many nuclear power?
What is the main reason why many nuclear power plants are located near bodies of water? to wash wastes out of the power plant to be close to shipping lanes for frequent fuel delivery to have easy access to a coolant for the reactor to avoid problems with water supply during a drought.
Is nuclear fusion dangerous?
Fusion on the other hand does not create any long-lived radioactive nuclear waste. A fusion reactor produces helium, which is an inert gas. It is only used in low amounts so, unlike long-lived radioactive nuclei, it cannot produce any serious danger.
Is a fusion reactor safer?
The fundamental differences in the physics and technology used in fusion reactors make a fission-type nuclear meltdown or a runaway reaction impossible. The fusion process is inherently safe. In a fusion reactor, there will only be a limited amount of fuel (less than four grams) at any given moment.
Is nuclear energy safer than solar?
Nuclear is safer based upon actual deaths per terawatt hour and less polluting. Solar, wind, nuclear are all much safer than coal, natural gas and oil. The fossil fuels kill with particulates and other pollution. Nuclear power did offset coal power usage.