At current levels of use, how many years of coal do we have left?
130-150 years.
At current levels of use, how many years of oil do we have left?
47-50 years
What are the two main kinds of nuclear reactions?
Fusion and Fission
What is the most common nuclear fuel?
Uranium
What might happen to a human exposed to radiation posioning?
Could die, develop cancer, develop genetic mutations, etc.
At current levels of use, how many years of natural gas do we have left?
50-60 years.
The burning of all fossil fuels releases what into the air?
Carbon Dioxide, CO2
How do we dispose of High Level Nuclear Wastes?
We store them in steel-lined concrete pools filled with water.
How do all power plants work?
Some source of energy causes a turbine to spin and generate electricity.
What do we use natural gas for?
Burning for heat in our homes or as a fuel source for our stoves/clothes dryers.
What are two countries that have top Coal reserves?
USA, Russia, China, Australia
Why is Fusion not possible on Earth?
Only possible in stars because the temperature of a fusion reaction is several million degrees Celsius.
What prevents a nuclear explosion in a reactor?
Control rods
What are two advantages of nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy does not cause air pollution, does not release carbon dioxide into the air, is cost efficient over time.
Which fossil fuel generates the most energy when burned?
Natural Gas
What are two countries that have top Natural Gas reserves?
USA, Russia, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Iran
Draw or describe what happens during fission.
A free neutron collides with an atom of an element and causes it to split into two smaller elements. This reaction releases tons of energy.
What causes an Nuclear Explosion?
When the nuclear reaction chain is not controlled.
Uncontrolled nuclear reactions.
What are two disadvantages to nuclear energy?
Nuclear power plants are very expensive to build (6-9 billion dollars), can take up to a decade to build, and produce radioactive wastes that can be hazardous if not properly managed.
Why do we burn coal at power plants and not in our personal homes?
Power plants can filter out the sulfur produced from burning coal while our individual homes usually can't
Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iran
What are three things every nuclear reactor will have?
Fuel rods, control rods, cooling system, reactor core, turbine
3 millioin kilograms of coal.
What does "If you build it, it will leak," mean?
Eventually, any container built by mankind will leak if left unattended or is exposed to the elements.