Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
Is Nuclear Power a Legitimate Energy Alternative?
Topic: Is Nuclear Power a Legitimate Energy Alternative? Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
The reason it is called a controversy assignment is because the topic you will examine is one currently being argued about by different groups of people who can?t agree on anything. That means your responsibility is to figure out and describe the various arguments on either side of the debate.
? Use total of 10 sources for this paper
Ø 2 types of sources to use: SCHOLARLY (academic) MEDIA (popular)Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
® 5 SCHOLARLY sources 5 MEDIA sources
Ø For SCHOLARLY/ACADEMIC sources: stick to books & journals (5 sources)
Ø For MEDIA/POPULAR sources: use anything; YouTube, Media, News? (5 sources)
? ALL of your sources must be CURRENT; must have been published in the last SIX (6) years
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PAPER FORMAT
Introduction (1 to 2 paragraphs)
Source Methodology (2 paragraphs or 3 if you need to justify a source)
Research Results (2 sections ? multiple paragraphs)
Discussion ? Scholarly versus Popular Sources (2 to 3 paragraphs)
Discussion ? Course theories and themes (1 to 2 paragraphs)
Conclusion (1 to 2 paragraphs)
NB// THE ABOVE SUBHEADINGS ARE EXPLAINED IN DETAILS OF WHAT IS EXPECTED UNDER EACH in the file named ?GUIDELINES?Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
Is Nuclear Power a Legitimate Energy Alternative?
Introduction
Nuclear power is the process through which heat energy is generated from nuclear reaction (Webster, 115). The heat generated is then used in running turbines for the production of electricity in nuclear power plants (Webster, 115). Nuclear decay, fission and fusion are very common in nuclear power generation. In the modern world, the nuclear fission on different elements is used in generation of nuclear energy which in turn is used to produce electricity. However, there are a wide range of social, economic, political and religious debates about nuclear power. Some proponents, for example, Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy and World Nuclear Association, contentiously support nuclear power claiming that it is safe for humankind; citing its lack of carbon emission into the atmosphere as compared to other forms of energy (Holthous, para 3). On the other hand, some opposers to the use of nuclear power, for example, the Green Peace International as well as NIRS (Near-infrared spectroscopy) claims that there are many threats that comes along with the use of nuclear power both to the environment and to humankind (Holthous, para. 3).
Nuclear power discussion cannot be avoided, it is a reality and its development and extensive research is happening around the globe, especially in the Asian continent, cannot be ignored. It comes with its own benefits as well as challenges. Owing to these factors, I intend to discuss an in-depth analysis on the legitimacy of use of nuclear power and its development highlighting reasons for and against its use. In the discussion, some key words will be used some of them being: Nuclear fission- which, in nuclear physics and chemistry refers to the nuclear reaction (radioactive decay process) during which atomic nucleus split into smaller parts (lighter nuclei) (Webster, 119). From this process free neutrons as well as gamma photons are produced during very large amount of energy are released including during radioactive decay (Webster, 119). Nuclear fusion-which is applied in nuclear physics and included the process during which two or more atomic nuclei come close enough to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles (neutrons or protons) (Webster, 119).
Source methodology
For my scholarly sources, I examined the following publications: SHEA, DANIEL and KRISTY HARTMAN. ?The Nuclear Option(S): Lawmakers Debate the Merits of Shoring up Struggling Nuclear Power Plants or Leaving Market Forces Alone.? State Legislatures, 2017, Webster, Craig S. ?Safety in Unpredictable Complex Systems ? a Framework for the Analysis of Safety Derived from the Nuclear Power Industry, 2016, Wildermuth, Grace.Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper ?The Price of Nuclear Power: Uranium Communities and Environmental Justice.? Rural Sociology, 2016, Kemfert C, Burandt T, Hainsch K, Löffler K, Oei P, von Hirschhausen C. Nuclear power unnecessary for climate protection-there are more cost-efficient alternatives. DIW Economic Bulletin [serial online], 2017, Rosner, Robert and Alex Hearn. ?What Role Could Nuclear Power Play in Limiting Climate Change?.? Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 2017, Fujimura, Maya Sophia, et al. ?Roles of Children and Their Parents in the Reduction of Radiation Risk After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.? Plos ONE, 2017, Ogawa, Akihiro. ?Young Precariat at the Forefront: Anti-Nuclear Rallies in Post-Fukushima Japan.? Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, vol. 14, no. 2, June 2013,
In addition, I used the following popular sources: M. Mitchell Waldrop. Nuclear energy: Radical reactors, 2012, Navid Chowdhury. Is Nuclear Energy Renewable Energy? Stanford University, Winter 2012, Tom Derosa Renewables vs. Nuclear: Do We Need More Nuclear Power?, 2015, ican. Arguments for nuclear abolition, http://www.icanw.org/why-a-ban/arguments-for-a-ban/ 2015, why use nuclear power, http://www.nucleartourist.com/basics/reasons1.htm dana S. Ulmer, The Basics of Nuclear Energy ? Why Nuclear Power?2016. Arguments for and against nuclear power, http://www.debatingeurope.eu/focus/infobox-arguments-for-and-against-nuclear/#.Wp5oGyWYN1s, Farooq, S. Nuclear Waste Disposal: Problems & Solutions . Department of Geology. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh ? 202 002 (India), 2015. Walton, R. Nuclear industry targets 30% cost reduction by 2018 to remain competitive, 2015, debating Europe. Arguments for and against nuclear power, 2015, Holthous E. It?s time to go nuclear in the fight against climate change, 2018 Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
Research results
Arguments for the legitimacy of nuclear power as an alternative
Safety: There are questions about the safety of the technology used in the production of nuclear power, both to the environment- in terms of climatic effects, and to humankind. However, the technology applied in the production has been proven to be safe (debating Europe, para 1). In addition, extensive research being undertaken on daily basis indicates high possibility of this technology becoming even safer (debating Europe, para 1). Owing to the accident that happened in a nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, many people fear of nuclear power safety. However, this plant was very old and its safety measures do not match the current measures applied in modern nuclear reactors designs whose likelihood of melting down is very low. Also, European nations are less prone to earthquakes and tsunamis- which caused the accident in the Japan plant (debating Europe, para 1).
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In addition, climatic changes are another reason cited by the proponents. The alternatives forms of energy are natural gas and coal. These sources come along with huge emission of Green House Gases (GHG) to the atmosphere in form of carbon dioxide. A worrying trend reported in 2017 indicated that the rate of this emission has risen by 2%- even after remaining constant for a long time (Wildermuth, 667). The emission causes detrimental climatic changes that comes back to haunt the human race- due to lack of rainfall and desertification among others. However, with the introduction of nuclear powers, this trend can be reversed. This is because; the alternative form of energy does not result in climatic changes. In order to reverse the trend in climatic change, there is need for countries such as America and Germany, which are reluctant in adopting the alternative, to shift into environmental friendly sources of energy including nuclear power. This source emits only little amount of lifecycle carbon and its introduction will decarbonizes the electric sector in the globe.
Besides, the nuclear power economics facilitates argument for the alternative. Except for places that have direct access to fossil fuel, nuclear power is the most cost effective source of energy. Nuclear plants fuel costs constitute a very minor proportion of the total costs for the power generation though the capital costs involved are greater compared to those plants that use coal and even much greater when compared with plants fired with natural gas. When assessing nuclear power economics, it is not possible to ignore waste disposal and decommissioning costs. The fact is, even though nuclear power plants require huge construction costs, their running costs are very low compared to other alternative power plants. Also, comparing the health, social and environmental costs of fossil and nuclear powers, nuclear power competitiveness is highly improved. According to Nuclear Power Economics and Project Structuring report released by world nuclear association in 2017, the main costs associated with nuclear powers are capital costs (World nuclear association, para 4). However, with the increased efforts by some countries to reduce these costs, the nuclear power as a source of energy has become the most economical. This has been the case in South Korea (World nuclear association, para 6). Some countries, for example United States of America, have begun measures to cut down the capital cost by 30% by 2018 (Walton, para 4). This will help in sustaining the already existing nuclear plants and save them from collapsing as is happening with some New York plants.
3) RUBRIC ? Technological Controversy Paper
1) GUIDELINES ? Technological Controversy Paper (1)
5) UNIT 1 ? Themes Discussed in Class
Is Nuclear Power a Legitimate Energy Alternative Nuclear Power a Energy Alternative Sample Paper
