A Quick Look At Nuclear Energy

In the effort to get away from our oil and coal dependency, nuclear energy is getting attention again. Here is what nuclear energy could mean to you and me.

Harnessing a chemical reaction at the nuclear level of certain materials produces nuclear energy. This, in a nutshell, is nuclear fission.

Nuclear fission occurs when certain materials, such as uranium, are manipulated in a manner that causes them to decay quickly. Heat is generated in large amounts following the element's decay. The heat is then typically used to turn turbines much as occurs in hydropower dams. The spinning turbines produce electricity, which is then used for commercial applications and propelling naval vessels such as submarines.

Nuclear fission can be manifested in several ways, and we can even see these in the everyday sky. Believe it or not, the sun is considered in itself a form of a nuclear reaction, on a very large scale. It does not blow up because of its immense gravity. But what it does would be to emit solar flares that produce years, decades, or even centuries worth of energy.

Many governments are mooting the use of nuclear energy because it doesn't require much to run, yet produces a whole lot of energy. There are countries like China, France, and especially Russia that have spent lots of money in nuclear production and research. There are, of course, some issues we have to deal with before considering nuclear energy as an alternative.

Nuclear fission is a fairly unstable process. You get nuclear energy by varying the speeds of the decay process. Essentially, it is a balancing act. If the materials decay too fast, you are in danger of a nuclear meltdown. Although meltdowns are rare, they are absolutely devastating when they occur.

History's most notorious nuclear explosion was the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Located in the Ukraine, the individuals controlling the reactor attempted an ill-advised test. The plant's design, as well as the people running the tests have taken most of the blame, but we probably will never know the real cause of the explosion. Definitely, though, the nuclear fission process was too fast, thus allowing the plant to lose stability. Huge steam explosions occurred followed by a full nuclear meltdown. A huge radioactive cloud escaped and dropped radioactive material over much of Eastern Europe. 330,000 people around the reactor had to be evacuated. Thousands died immediately. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people have suffered health problems. Many of those who gave birth after the explosion had to see their children grow up with birth defects.

The dangers of nuclear energy are still imminent, but can be avoided with the proper discretion and efficient production.