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Nuclear Power

The Future Of Nuclear Power

Proponents of nuclear power argue that a fresh round of power-plant construction should be undertaken to meet growing electricity demand. Coal-fired plants presently produce most of the world's electricity, but release air pollution and greenhouse gases; nuclear power, its advocates argue, does not release these substances. Given the threat of global climate change, it follows that it is of utmost importance to build more nuclear power plants. Opponents of nuclear power respond that greater reductions in air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions could be achieved by spending the same money on non-nuclear technologies (i.e., efficiency improvements and renewable energy sources such as solar power). They also argue that a massive increase in the number of nuclear power plants bring increased risks for nuclear accidents and for proliferation of nuclear weapons to states that do not as yet have them. Globally, nuclear power is approximately stagnant as of 2003. Whether it is about to undergo the renaissance urged by its advocates or the accelerated phaseout urged by its opponents may not be apparent for some years.

See also Accelerators; Atomic models; Bioterrorism.

Resources

Books

Glasstone, Samuel, and Alexander Sesonske. Nuclear Reactor Engineering. 4th ed., 2 vols. New York: Chapman and Hall, 1994.

Richard, L., and Georges Charpak. Megawatts and Megatons: The Future of Nuclear Power. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (Trd), 2002.

World Spaceflight News. 21st Century Complete Guide to Nuclear Power: Encyclopedic Coverage of Power Plants, Reactors, Fuel Processing, NRC and Department of Energy Regulations, Radioactive Waste, New Plant Designs, plus Cleanup and Environmental Restoration at Nuclear Weapons Production Sites (Four CD-ROM Set) Progressive Management, 2002.

Periodicals

Ahearne, J.F. "Intergenerational issues regarding nuclear power and nuclear waste." Risk Analysis 20 (2001):763-770.

Hoffert, Martin, et al. "Advanced Technology Paths to Global Climate Stability: Energy for a Greenhouse Planet." Science Vol. 298, No. 5595 (Nov. 1, 2002): 981-987.


David E. Newton
Larry Gilman

KEY TERMS

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Cladding

—A material that covers the fuel elements in a nuclear reactor in order to prevent the loss of heat and radioactive materials from the fuel.

Containment

—Any system developed for preventing the release of radioactive materials from a nuclear power plant to the outside world.

Coolant

—Any material used in a nuclear power plant to transfer the heat produced in the reactor core to another unit in which electricity is generated.

Generator

—A device for converting kinetic energy (the energy of movement) into electrical energy.

Neutron

—A subatomic particle that carries no electrical charge and that has a mass of zero.

Nuclear fission

—A reaction in which a larger atomic nucleus breaks apart into two roughly equal, smaller nuclei.

Nuclear fusion

—A reaction in which two small nuclei combine with each other to form one larger nucleus.

Nuclear pile

—The name given to the earliest form of a nuclear reactor.

Turbine

—A device consisting of a series of baffles mounted on a wheel around a central shaft used to convert the energy of a moving fluid into the energy of mechanical rotation.

Additional topics

Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to Ockham's razorNuclear Power - The Nuclear Power Plant, Types Of Nuclear Power Plant, Safety Concerns, Nuclear Waste Management