What Is Nuclear Energy Used For?

Nuclear energy provides the United States and other countries with many things, with the main one being electricity. Nuclear energy has benefits and disadvantages, but taking uranium and turning it into a source of power creates many options for nuclear power.

Function

The majority of nuclear energy is used to create electricity. First, uranium must be stored and separated into two different elements using an enrichment process. The elements are then brought through a chain-reaction fission process that splits the atom. Heat energy from the fission boils water and creates high-pressured steam that powers a turbine connected to a generator. The generator spins and creates the electricity that can be used.

Features

A small percentage of nuclear energy is used for things other than electricity. A few ships and submarines are nuclear powered to help the ships during war situations. This is a small percentage and not a future concept that will be explored.

Certain countries use nuclear power more than other countries. France is powered 80 percent by nuclear power, eliminating the need for many fossil fuel burning power plants for which they would have to import coal and other fuels.

The United States uses nuclear energy to power about 20 percent of the country, but some states, such as Connecticut, rely on a larger percentage. For example, the Millstone Nuclear Power plant in Waterford, Connecticut, provides the state of Connecticut with around 50 percent of its needed power.

Benefits

Using nuclear energy has many benefits. One of the main benefits is that nuclear plants emit no CO2 or pollution into the air. Uranium that has gone through fission also lasts about three years before new uranium is needed in each section of the reactor. This helps the element last longer because it is nonrenewable.

Effects

Use of nuclear energy also comes with some harmful effects. All of the water that is steamed to power the turbines becomes radioactive and this can be harmful to humans. The process of creating nuclear energy also creates nuclear waste that needs to be stored. If it is not properly stored then radiation can spread, causing harm to living things, mutations and potentially death.

Potential

If nuclear energy is properly used and stored, then it can become a leading source of power to the world without harming the environment from pollution and emissions. The use of nuclear energy could also be explored for the expansion of more ships and possibly automobiles.

Resources

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