Nuclear Energy Essay Example for Free

Nuclear Energy Essay There are many advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear power. Nuclear power is said to prevent power outages that happen in areas without nuclear power. For an example, if we were using hydroelectricity and the dam suddenly malfunctions, then we won’t have electricity until someone fixes the dam, and that would be difficult if it happened in the middle of the night. However, on the other hand, nuclear power is also considered toxic and it pollutes the Earth with harmful and deadly waste. Here are a few reasons why we should and should not use nuclear power. One of the reasons why we should use nuclear power is that it doesn’t pollute like coal and other fossil fuels. Scientists have said that using nuclear power is used to power electricity in most homes. They have also been saying that nuclear power tend to work better than using fossil fuels, gas power, and hydroelectric power. Since scientists are saying it works better, than we can use more nuclear power than using fossil fuels, gas power, and hydroelectric power. Another reason why we should use nuclear power is that scientists have said that it is possible to generate a high amount of electrical energy in one single nuclear power plant unlike coal, gas, hydroelectric power plants since they need a few to power electricity. This is important because it costs more to build a nuclear power plant than to build a coal, gas, or hydroelectric power plant. That way, we can save money by building one nuclear power plant instead of a few coal, gas, or hydro electric power plants. One more reason why we should use nuclear power is that scientists have been saying that the affect of global warming because of nuclear has been relatively little compared to coal, gas, and hydroelectric power. If we keep using nuclear power for electricity and other good uses, then there would be less global warming, but if we start to use more and more fossil fuels, then global warming will keep increasing in the future, so to prevent this, we can use nuclear energy. One of the reasons why we should not use nuclear power is that nuclear power is that nuclear energy releases radiation such as alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. Alpha particles can cause skin injuries similar to severe burns, beta particles can travel into the body and damage cells, and finally, gamma rays can deliver intense energy to the cells and cause severe damage. Radiation  from nuclear energy can wipe out the human generation, since mutation usually occurs when a person is affected by radiation. In order to prevent this from happening, we shouldn’t take chances and use nuclear energy. Another reason why we shouldn’t use nuclear power is because it takes many years for it to decay. Unlike coal, gas, and hydroelectric power, once you use it, it is not done. After a point where it has no more nuclear power, there are still radioactive waves in it that will still damage your cells. After the half-life of the radioactive element occurs, which could take a long time , only half of it has decayed. Nuclear energy can help, but later on we would have to dispose the nuclear waste to decay in a remote location. If we need remote locations to dispose nuclear waste, then one day we would run out of those areas, and possibly half of the world will be not be accessible to humans due to nuclear waste occupying the areas. One more reason why we shouldn’t use nuclear power is that one of the types of nuclear energy, nuclear fission produces high amounts of nuclear waste. Scientists have been saying that if we use nuclear energy, then we should be disposed off at a safe place since they are extremely hazardous and can leak radiation if not stored properly. If the wastes somehow get into the freshwater and saltwater systems, then all the sea animals will get affected, and we won’t be able to drink the water from the freshwater. Another type of nuclear energy, nuclear fusion doesn’t produce any nuclear waste unlike nuclear fission, but it is really hard to make, so since it is hard to make, it won’t be helpful for everyday electricity. In conclusion, there are many advantages and disadvantages against nuclear energy, but I think that as long as we keep the nuclear power plant is in a remote location where no one can go and get affected, we can use nuclear energy. When the nucle ar waste is produced, then we can dispose it off at a safe place since it’s extremely hazardous and can leak radiation if not stored properly. If we are going to use nuclear energy, then we should handle it carefully even if it is for electricity because if it is misused, then people who are affected by the radiation from the energy will have mutations or possibly even die.