The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Energy

As the environment becomes increasingly worse due to the current energy sources we are using, our society is in desperate need of a new source of energy. Nuclear energy can be the answer to our country’s problems. In 1938, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman conducted an experiment in which they hurdled a neutron at extremely high speeds towards the element uranium. This caused the nucleus of the atom to split, and from there neutrons continued to split other neutrons in a process known as fission. A chain reaction of sustained energy release was created and nuclear energy was born. After this discovery, from1938 onward, Americans have been able to develop and harness the power of nuclear energy and utilize it towards our society. The creation of
The cost of power plants, along with the potential dangers of nuclear energy, tends to repel people from converting to the energy source. Constructing, equipping, engineering and providing labor for power plants can cost billions of dollars. The waste left behind from the energy is extremely hazardous and difficult to dispose of. Although the possibility is very slim, there’s a chance for nuclear accidents to occur in the power plants. However, these problems have solutions and nuclear energy still poses a great alternative energy source that could benefit
The amount of fuel needed to power plants is significantly less than the amount of fossil fuel needed for other energy sources. In addition to other advantages, “the energy released by nuclear fission is approximately ten million times greater than the amount of energy released by fossil fuel atom”(Nuclear Pros and Cons). Turning atomic heat into electricity is a much simpler process than turning fossil fuel into electricity. In a nuclear power plant, “the machinery is very similar to the machinery used in fossil fuel plants and has had most of the kinks worked out, so it is quite reliable. Because the mass of material that has to run through the plant every day is several powers of ten smaller than similarly sized fossil fuel plants, fission plants can be far simpler, less dependent on external supply chains, and easier to operate”(Adams). The production of energy from fossil fuels is expected to increase, so substituting nuclear energy for fossil fuels will indubitably be better for our