Nuclear Energy
How does this resource, nuclear energy compare to fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels release smoke into the air, which causes pollution and climate change. Nuclear energy releases zero greenhouse gases while running.
Name one con of nuclear?
Once the fuel is used up, it stays dangerously radioactive for thousands of years.
How do we use nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy splits uranium atoms to create heat, which boils water into steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity without burning fuel or polluting the air.
One pro of nuclear energy?
Nuclear plants don't burn anything, so they don't pump CO_2 or smoke into the air. It’s one of the cleanest ways to make massive amounts of power.
Is nuclear energy man-made or does it naturally occur on Earth?
The universe is naturally full of energy stored inside atoms. On Earth, metals like uranium naturally break apart and release heat over millions of years. Humans build a nuclear reactor to speed up and control this process. Instead of waiting millions of years, we put a lot of uranium together in one spot to create a steady, powerful heat.
In your day-to-day "personal life," you probably wouldn’t notice a change the moment you woke up, but you would definitely feel the "ripples" within a few months. Your electricity bill would likely jump. Using smart appliances, you’d notice a change in reliability.
Is Nuclear Energy renewable or non-renewable and why?
It is non-renewable because we have to mine the fuel,uranium.
One con of nuclear energy and why is it a con?
To get the fuel for nuclear power plants, we have to mine uranium. Mining can be messy. It can pollute the local water and soil. There is only a limited amount of uranium on the earth. It won't last forever.
How do we gather this resource, nuclear energy?
We mine a special metal called uranium, split its atoms to create heat, boil water to make steam, and use that steam to spin a power-making fan.
One con of nuclear energy and why is it a con?
Building a nuclear power plant is a massive project. It is much more expensive and takes much longer to build than a wind farm or a natural gas plant.