Informative Speech: Nuclear Energy
Purpose: The purpose of this speech is to inform others about the production, utilizations and impacts of nuclear energy.
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Attention Getter: When most people think of nuclear energy, the first thing that comes to their minds is a devastating bomb explosion or a nuclear power plant meltdown. But, in reality, nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source that has an enormous variety of uses.
B. Thesis: The uses of nuclear energy range from being a clean, renewable energy source to cutting edge medical procedures.
C. Credibility: The world's first exposure to nuclear energy came with the detonation of two atomic bombs in Japan in 1945. Scientists perceived a positive aspect of
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Transition: Now that we know how nuclear energy is produced, let’s talk about some ways it is utilized in modern society.
Second Main Point
III. Uses of nuclear energy
A. Nuclear power plants use heat created by nuclear reactions to heat water and create steam which turn turbines to produce power.
i. Reactor operators control the chain reaction created by nuclear fission to regulate the amount of heat generated and energy produced. ii. The fuel for this process is the metal uranium. It must be enriched before it can be used for producing energy because mined uranium is around 99.3% uranium-238, it does not split easily when exposed to neutrons, which makes it a poor fuel. The other 0.7% of mined uranium is uranium-235, which makes excellent fuel. The enrichment process consists of increasing the ratio of uranium-235 to uranium-238.
B. The medical field also benefits from nuclear energy. Nuclear medicine is a field of medicine in which radioactive materials are used to diagnose and treat medical disorders
i. Certain chemical elements tend to concentrate in one part of the body. For example, nearly all of the iodine that we consume goes to the thyroid gland. ii. The radioactive form of an element acts in the same way the nonradioactive form does. When a person ingests iodine it concentrates in the thyroid gland whether it is in a radioactive or nonradioactive
Nuclear power should not be dismissed and must be included as a major component of an alternative energy source to replace fossil fuels as it has the greatest potential to be the primary energy source in the future which can work together with other alternative renewable energy sources to combat global warming and to help meet the world’s growing energy demand
Nuclear energy is gathered by the process of splitting uranium atoms. By splitting these atoms, there is some mass loss, and this mass can then be used as energy. This process is called fission. The heat from this fission is used to turn water into steam, and this steam turns the turbine generator in a reactor, which produces energy. Nuclear power plants have many advantages when compared to other renewable energy sources.
In both of the supporting articles over the use of nuclear energy, there is a proficient amount of strengthens and weakness in both arguments. Though the use of the background and prior information given in the preclude, it allows the reader to understand the basics of nuclear energy and the way both authors are approaching to present their ideas. Using this analytical preface most of the information presented, allows the reader to have an idea on which side is more appealing to their choosing. Allowing the reader to get a perspective on both sides of the argument will insight them on the information presented and will ultimately give a substantial amount of evidence to back their claims.
Nuclear energy was likewise discovered to be useful in naval tactics and in sourcing electricity. As technology has significantly advanced and knowledge has expanded beyond measures, the realm of nuclear engineering has indeed achieved scientific milestones. In practice of modern times, nuclear energy is manufactured within power plants, capable of supporting an outstanding amount of electricity (World Nuclear Association). However, this limited method of energy production is thought to be dangerous. Nuclear engineering is certainly one complex subject and is foreign to the majority of the world population. Within a nuclear power plant, reactors are employed to force uranium ions to undergo the process of nuclear fission; nuclear fission is the separation of atoms, the smallest unit of matter. This splitting of uranium ions releases energy, thus, producing usable heat. Heat is crucial to not only nuclear energy production; rather, heat is necessary in all power plants. Such will then become the steam that gyrates turbines. These turbines are coupled with electromagnets which, finally, yield electricity (How Nuclear Reactors Work). One foremost flaw of nuclear power is the consequential radioactive waste that must be monitored for a long while following disposal. Nevertheless, as resources upon this planet are surely depleting, original forms of energy production are mandatory. In consideration of such, nuclear power plants have proved to be both efficient
Nuclear energy is the process of creating useful heat and electricity. The nuclear power debate is a controversy about the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes. The debate over the expansion of the nuclear energy program has been prominent over the last 4 decades. The debate really escalated during the 1970s and 1980s, when it "reached an intensity unprecedented in the history of technology controversies", in some countries. It is important for the expansion of human life and improving life as we know it. I firmly believe that we need to keep using and expand the use of nuclear energy due to the fact that it eliminates fossil fuel pollutants, it is sustainable and cost effective, and it improves overall human quality of life.
The fossil fuels that are used to supply over half of our country’s energy are in finite supply and are increasing in price to astronomical heights. If we hope to continue consuming energy on the scale that we currently do, we need to find a better way to produce it. Fortunately, the best contender is an energy generation form that the United States is already familiar with, albeit equally as uncomfortable with. Currently, nuclear power makes up 19% of our country’s power generation, and with community and government support, the industry could spread its wings further to help relieve the dependence we have on burning fossil fuels [3]. Many people have misconceived many ideas about nuclear power, believing that it is expensive, unsafe by its very nature, and a threat to a
Central Idea: Nuclear energy only contributes a small amount to the world’s electricity yet it has hazards and dangers that far out-way its benefits. There are many other alternative power producing sources that can produce energy more efficiently and more safely than nuclear power plants can.
The world as we know today is dependent on energy. The options we have currently enable us to produce energy economically but at a cost to the environment. As fossil fuel source will be diminishing over time, other alternatives will be needed. An alternative that is presently utilized is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is currently the most efficacious energy source. Every time the word ‘nuclear’ is mentioned, the first thought that people have is the devastating effects of nuclear energy. Granting it does come with its drawbacks; this form of energy emits far less pollution than conventional power plants. Even though certain disadvantages of nuclear energy are devastating, the advantages contain even greater rewards.
Nuclear medicine was first used in 1946 for treating thyroid cancer with the help of radioactive iodine, according to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center. Lately, the common uses of nuclear medicine include; scanning of the heart to detect any radioactive signals from the heart. Nuclear medicine can also help a physician in determining the amount of blood flow that the walls inside the heart are receiving. It is also a leading factor in deciding if the cells in the heart are functioning in a healthy way. It also shows any signs of the heart having suffered permanent damages from heart attacks. Nuclear medicine and their use has done for the lives of many people.
The world's natural resources are being consumed at an alarming rate. As these resources diminish, people will be seeking alternative sources by which to generate electricity for heat and light. The only practical short-term solution for the energy/pollution crisis should be nuclear power because it is available, cleaner and safer.
Nuclear energy requires high cost for its investment, thus it is considered a very expensive energy resource when compared with other renewable energy resources. Initially, nuclear fusion power depends on a variety of elements, especially Uranium, for its production. The very first cost required for the production of nuclear energy is the cost of mining and transportation of these elements. The elements required for the preparations of nuclear energy even produce harmful radiations when exposed to the environment, thus a lot of money is involved in the security and protection facilities. After a lot of money has been spent on the elements necessary for energy production, a
The purpose of a nuclear power plant is to produce electricity for supporting increases in consumption. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) defines nuclear energy as “the energy released by a nuclear reaction, especially by fission or fusion. In general terms, nuclear energy uses fuel made from mined and processed uranium to make steam and generate electricity” (ENEC 2011). Nuclear power plant currently producing electricity in the U.S include the Pressurized Water Reactor and the Boiling Water Reactor. To illustrate the importance of nuclear energy to the United States, 20% of our nation’s electricity production comes from the 104 commercially operating reactors (Funk and Socacool 2012). However, security issues surrounding nuclear power lead to the U.S nuclear regulatory agencies imposing strict regulations on the production of nuclear energy.
When I say nuclear energy, what comes to mind? An exciting new technology, with limitless possibilities? The future of clean energy? Or events like Hiroshima, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island? Devastation and disasters, or a solution to climate change? I intend to cement the idea that nuclear energy is the best solution to many of humanities present and future problems. Nuclear energy, overall, saves lives, reduces carbon emissions, and could set into motion a new age of innovation. Conversely, there are many negative, and defendable, viewpoints when talking about nuclear energy. Accidents and disasters have been associated with nuclear energy, along with radioactive waste, and, possibly worst of all, weaponization of reactor technology. However, with a few simple explanations, I believe I can put nuclear energy in a good light once again.
The use of nuclear energy is a big topic for debate. Many countries have fully embraced it while others, such as the U. S., haven’t. Nuclear energy is feared for its danger and scorned because of its wastes. On the other hand, nuclear energy does have some pros like cheaper cost of energy and environmentally safe. Reactor breeders show great promise in nuclear waste, but are it enough to convince the nation?
The capacity for nuclear technology was first discovered in the year 1939 by scientists Hahn and Strassmann. They found that when a radioactive element decayed in the form of fission it released tremendous amounts of energy (“Outline History of…” 1). Fission is the term used to refer to the splitting of an atom into two smaller atoms. To be exact, Hahn and Strassman deduced that twelve kilograms of Uranium --which is a radioactive element-- had the same capacity as eighteen hundred tons of TNT (“Brief History of Nuclear…” 1). This magnitude of power was used predominantly in weapons manufacturing during WWII and the