In recent years, there has been much stipulation over the problem of diminishing fossil fuels. What is to be done in the next fifty years when our supply of coal and oil has been consumed? Living in a country so dependent on coal and oil leaves many questions on how the country can survive. A possible solution to this problem is through nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is a very controversial topic and has the ability to be the savior of the problem we are facing. Through nuclear energy breads many positives as well as negatives. While the possibility of nuclear power looms larger every year, one must wonder if the positives outweigh the negatives.
Nuclear energy is the energy released by a nuclear reaction, either through fission or fusion. This process could be extremely helpful with the problem of lessening fossil fuels. When looking at nuclear energy, there are many positives involved. .
The first positive is safety. Safety is both a pro and con, depending on which way you see it. The results of a compromised reactor core can be disastrous, but the precautions that prevent this from happening prevent it well. Nuclear power is one the safest methods of producing energy. Each year, many people die from diseases due to coal burning, and also in mining accidents. In contrast, no Americans have died or been seriously injured because of a reactor accident or radiation exposure from American nuclear power plants. There are a number of safety mechanisms that make the chances of reactor accidents very low. There are barriers that separate the radiation and heat of the reactor core from the outside. There is also a large number of sensors that pick up increases in radiation or humidity. An increase in radiation or humidity could mean there is a leak. There are systems that control and stop the chain reaction if necessary. An Emergency Core Cooling System ensures that in the event of an accident there is enough cooling water to cool the reactor.
