Nuclear Power.docx

Nguyen 5

Khoa NguyenEngl 102Mrs. Johnson11 November 2013Proposal and ThesisOver the past few decades, with the rapid expansion of industrialized countries, global demands for energy have been accelerated beyond our wildest expectations. As a matter of course, scientists from many nations have been seeking alternative energy sources in order to satisfy the growing thirst of power. Since nuclear energy was introduced as a promising source of power that can satisfy power demands, many fierce controversies has been sparkled surrounding the use of nuclear power. Some advocate that nuclear power can provide energy on large scale without emit excessive amount of greenhouse gasses, contribute largely to the combat with global warming. Others believe that it is risky and unwise to ignore the lurking danger of nuclear power. Although it is arguable nuclear power encompasses obvious benefits, nuclear power should not be considered as the ultimate answer to resolve worlds energy crisis.

Tentative OutlineBrief history of nuclear powerFrom 1939 to 1945, most development was focused on the atomic bomb.After 1945, nuclear power was taken advantages for naval propulsion and for making electricity.Since 1956, the prime objective has been shifted to the technological evolution of reliable nuclear power plants.Oppose advantages of nuclear power as claimed by advocatorsNuclear power plants do not emit a large amount of greenhouse gasses, helping reduce the effect of global warming.Though nuclear reactors do not release greenhouse gasses, the process of mining uranium does emit greenhouse gasses.The by-products of uranium process are highly radioactive, imposing extremely harmful effects on animals and surrounding environment.Can create power on a large-scale with cheaper power bills as compared with other forms of energyThe funds which are used for constructing, maintaining plants, storing nuclear wastes, and retaining and training skilled labors must be added to the real costs. Once all the costs have all been added up, nuclear energy might not be entirely cost effective than other alternatives.Nuclear power plants are safeThe recent incident in Japan weakens the claim.Radioactive wasted created in nuclear reactors can be used to create atomic bomb, threatening worlds peace. Focusing on renewable sources of energyRenewable energy technologies are clean sources of energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies. Renewable energy fuels are vast and inexhaustible It is A More Reliable and Resilient Energy SystemAnnotated Bibliography

Burgess, Joanna. 10 Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power. Discovery. Discovery Channel, n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.

In this article, many features of nuclear power are scrutinized carefully in order to compare its effectiveness and safety to other sources of energy. This article contains no personal judgment of the author on nuclear power, making this article purely a informative article that provides an overview regarding advantages and disadvantages of this nuclear energy. Data extracted from this article can be used for both argument and counter argument ideas, rendering this paper far more objective as well as fair.

Cohen, Bernard. Risk of Nuclear Power. physics.isu.edu. Physics Department at Idaho State University, n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.

The article of Cohen, physics professor at the University of Pittsburg, centers on a distinctive and indeed, risky characteristic of nuclear fuel that is radioactivity. As explained by the author, the risks associated with nuclear power arisen from health effect of radiation, which consists of subatomic particles that can travel at the speed of light, penetrating deep inside human body. As a result, human biology cells are seriously damaged, triggering fatal diseases such as cancer. This article is best support for the notion of how hazardous nuclear energy is.

Marshall, Brain, Robert, Lamb. How Nuclear Power Works. Howstuffworks. Howstuffworks.com, n.d. Web. 9 November 2013.

Written from an overall perspective, this particular article is a summary of nuclear power. It not only describes operating principles of nuclear power, but also gives an overview of advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power. Famous historical nuclear catastrophes as well as the recent one that has been happening in Japan are also mentioned in this article to emphasize the dangerous side of nuclear power. However, this article does not refuse the fact that there are apparent benefits of nuclear power on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing much in the battle with global warming.

Physicians for Social Responsibility. Dirty, Dangerous and Expensive: The Truth about Nuclear Power. PSR.com. PSR Physicians for Social Responsibility, n.d. Web. 23 October 2013.

This article focuses mainly on negative effects of nuclear power, concluding with suggestions to focus our resources on researching and expanding renewable sources of energy as well as improving power conservation efficiency. The author considers these suggestions as the ultimate and safe resolutions to the persistent lack of energy instead of using nuclear energy, which is dangerous and inefficient. Each disadvantages of nuclear power are supported by evidence and figures, making this a powerful counter - arguments article.

Strickland,Eliza. Explainer: What Went Wrong in Japan's Nuclear Reactors. Spectrum.ieee.org. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Mar, 2011.Web. 10 May 2013.

Having done much research, the author of this article has created a relatively complete report on the nuclear energy catastrophe occurred in Japan in 2011, in which result in a releases of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. Not only summarizes major events of the crisis, the author also gives an insight analysis of the causes of this catastrophe, helping those who concerned understand what happened in this particular nuclear reactors. Although aftermath stemming from this disaster is mentioned, the author did not express any opinion to oppose as well as support the use of nuclear power.

World Nuclear Association. Outline History of Nuclear Energy. Work-nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, June 2010 Web. 10 November 2013.

This is a summary of the discovery and development of nuclear power as of 2010, in which a major fatal nuclear accident happened in Japan in 2012 is not recorded. This article is merely a summary without any direct opinion for and against nuclear power. It solely condenses major events regarding nuclear energy and organizes them along with continuous timeline which makes it easier to look up information. Despite the lack of information after 2010, this article still proves to be a useful source for researching on the topic.