GEOL 108 - Crises of a PlanetLab 10 - Toxic Waste

Nov. 6 - 9, 2012

Department of Earth Sciences

Department of Earth Sciences

REVIEW | 2

QUIZ 8 REVIEWWhat are the two types of stream morphologies? (1 pt) Sketch both (2 pts) and show where cut banks and point bars occur (1 pt), indicating which is caused by erosion and which by deposition.

Department of Earth Sciences

TOXIC WASTE | 3

LAB 10 - TOXIC WASTE

+ =

Robocop (1987)

Department of Earth Sciences

TOXIC WASTE | 4

RADIOACTIVE DECAY

• Pu-239 is a common waste product of nuclear fission.• Decay of Pu-239 produces an alpha particle (He atom) which

is not a serious threat until ingested.• Alpha particles cause extreme chromosomal damage to cells

and lead to cancer

Department of Earth Sciences

TOXIC WASTE | 5

RADIOACTIVE DECAY

Department of Earth Sciences

TOXIC WASTE | 6

NUCLEAR ENERGY

• Nuclear energy as % of total energy production by country

http://intuitech.biz/nuclear-energy-technology-roadmap/

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TOXIC WASTE | 7

NUCLEAR ENERGY

• Location of operating nuclear power plants

Department of Earth Sciences

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NUCLEAR ENERGY

Robert A. Rohde

Department of Earth Sciences

TOXIC WASTE | 9

RADIOACTIVE WASTE• Hanford, Washington• 53 million gallons of high-level radioactive waste on

site after facility closed

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RADIOACTIVE WASTE

• Yucca Mountain

Department of Earth Sciences

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RADIOACTIVE WASTE

• Faults and groundwater at Yucca Mountain

Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy

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TOXIC WASTE | 12

USES OF RADIOACTIVE DECAY

• Absolute ages by radiometric dating• Example: Certain minerals, like zircon, take in

uranium but not lead while growing• U235/Pb207 system half-life: 713 million years