12.1 The Use of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy brings numerous benefits to mankind when it is generated and properly controlled. Currently, more than 30 countries worldwide rely on nuclear energy as an energy source.
Learning Objectives
- State countries in the world that use nuclear energy as an energy source.
- Explain the benefits of using nuclear energy sources compared to other energy sources.
- Describe the adverse effects of nuclear energy sources compared to other energy sources.
Benefits and Adverse Effects of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy offers efficient electricity generation and low greenhouse gas emissions, but it also produces radioactive waste and carries risks of misuse.
Short Explanation
What is nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy is an increasingly vital alternative energy source used by more than 30 nations, including France, Japan, Russia, Slovakia, and the United States of America.
Countries opt for nuclear energy because it generates electricity in greater quantities and with higher efficiency than petroleum and coal, while releasing very little greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the ionising radiation derived from nuclear processes plays a critical role in advancing medicine, agriculture, and industry, directly enhancing human health and living standards.
Countries Using Nuclear Energy
More than 30 countries in the world use nuclear energy as their energy source. Examples of these countries include the United States of America, Russia, France, Slovakia, and Japan. The number of countries using nuclear energy to generate energy in various fields is increasing every year.
Serious adverse effects. Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste that poses long-term hazards to living things and human health. Additionally, because nuclear reactions generate an immense quantity of energy, any misuse can cause catastrophic harm to mankind.
Try to Answer First
Answer in your mind, then press “Check Answer”.
State three major countries that use nuclear energy as an energy source.
Why is nuclear energy considered more environmentally friendly in terms of atmospheric emissions compared to coal and petroleum?
What are two adverse effects of nuclear energy sources?
Common Mistakes
- Assuming nuclear power plants release large amounts of greenhouse gases because cooling towers emit plumes. In reality, cooling towers emit water vapour, and nuclear energy releases very little greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels.
- Stating that nuclear energy is completely harmless or entirely dangerous, rather than recognising that it brings great benefits when properly controlled but has severe risks regarding radioactive waste and misuse.
- Thinking that nuclear energy is only used to generate electricity, overlooking its production of ionising radiation used in medicine, agriculture, and industry.
Concept Misunderstandings
Nuclear energy produces the exact same environmental pollution as burning fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
Nuclear energy releases very little greenhouse gases compared to burning petroleum and coal, making it an alternative that reduces fossil fuel dependency.
Ionising radiation produced by nuclear energy has only destructive effects.
Ionising radiation brings significant benefits to mankind when controlled properly, improving standards of health and living through applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry.
Summary
- Nuclear energy is an efficient alternative source used by more than 30 countries to generate electricity and reduce fossil fuel use.
- It emits minimal greenhouse gases and provides ionising radiation beneficial to medicine, agriculture, and industry.
- It carries serious adverse effects, including hazardous radioactive waste and catastrophic dangers if misused.
Short Activity
A. Objective Quiz
1 Which of the following is an advantage of using nuclear energy compared to petroleum and coal?
2 What is an adverse effect associated with nuclear energy sources?
B. Fill in the Blanks
3 Nuclear energy produces radiation that is widely used in medicine, agriculture, and industry.
4 There are now more than countries in the world that use nuclear energy as their energy source.
C. Drag and Drop: Match Each Aspect to Its Description
Drag each aspect of nuclear energy to the correct description. On a phone, tap an answer first, then tap a matching box. Tap the Answer Choices area to return a selected item.
C. Match Each Aspect to Its Description
Write the correct aspect next to each description.
| Description | Aspect |
|---|---|
| 1. Replaces or reduces the use of petroleum and coal to generate electricity | |
| 2. Released in very little amounts compared to other energy sources | |
| 3. Can affect health and threaten the lives of all living things | |
| 4. Can cause severe harm to mankind due to the huge amount of energy produced |
Answer choices: Alternative energy • Greenhouse gases • Radioactive waste • Misuse of energy
