Answer 1:
I think the question is asking why nuclear power
plants are safe? Nuclear power plants generate
energy by nuclear fission. This process
involves
the reaction of atoms (like uranium) with other
particles called neutrons. These "heavy" atoms
then go unto break up into smaller atoms (like
krypton and barium) and more neutrons. As this
reaction goes on, more and more neutrons are made
which results in a chain reaction (which is
just a
whole bunch of reactions). This nuclear fission
process also creates heat, which is used to heat
up water and produce steam. This is how we get
energy from the reaction. The problem is that you
also produce a lot of waste when this reaction
happens. This waste goes into the water and lasts
for thousands of years.
Researchers currently
store this "nuclear waste" in big pools on the
site of the nuclear reactors. These pools are
full of cement, which are then lined with different
metals to keep the waste water from going into the
ground. As long as these pools don't crack or
leak, the plant and waste are safe.
After
hundreds of years, these pools can degrade and the
nuclear waste can leak into the ground water which
is very dangerous. Scientists are now trying to
figure out different ways to store the waste, like
burying it thousands of feet under the ground
where there is no water for the waste to go
into. Researchers are also trying to figure out
better ways to limit the amount of waste produced.
Often in nuclear fission, only a small amount of
the available uranium is used, so scientists are
trying to find better ways of using all of the
uranium. Hope this helps! Click Here to return to the search form.
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