Consider This 7.2 Nuclear Power State-by-State
The Nuclear Energy Institute provides a map showing the locations of commercial nuclear power plants in the United States.
a. Select a state with one or more nuclear power plants. What percent of this state's electrical energy comes from nuclear power?
b. Find a state in which more than half of the electrical energy is nuclear in origin.
c. Select a state with no nuclear power plants. How instead is the electricity generated? Consider This 7.15 Chernobyl's Legacy
Twenty years after the accident, the report Chernobyl's Legacy: Health, Environmental and Socio-economic Impacts was issued. This document was an initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency in cooperation with several other international agencies.
a. What diseases already have resulted from the radiation exposure? Describe the disease and which people were affected. When possible, cite the number of people affected.
b. Why is it not possible to reliably assess the number of fatal cancers caused by the accident? |
Sceptical Chymist 7.16 More About the Pacific Rim
About 20% of the world's nuclear reactors are in regions of seismic activity, such as the Pacific Rim. Is this true? Use Figure 7.10, your knowledge of earthquake zones, and any other information you may need to look up on the Web to check the accuracy of this statement. See also if you can find the details of how reactors are built to withstand seismic shocks.
Hint: You might find this briefing paper from the World Nuclear Association to be useful. Your Turn 7.20 Your Personal Radiation Dose
a. Thanks to the EPA, you can calculate the radiation dose that you receive in a year. Are you above or below the national average?
Hint: Remember to convert from millirems (mrem) to microsieverts (µSv).
b. Now visit the Los Alamos National Laboratory to estimate your annual radiation dose. Use it to perform a similar calculation. How do your results compare to the previous part? Explain any differences. |
Consider This 7.27 Nuclear Waste Warning Markers
On February 15, 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unveiled a new symbol to warn the public about the dangers of radiation. You can read the details at the IAEA Web site.
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b. Suppose you were asked to design markers to be installed near an underground nuclear waste repository. These markers must warn future generations of the existence of nuclear waste and must last for at least 10,000 years (more than four times the age of the pyramids of Egypt). The message must be intelligible to Earthlings of the future. Try your hand at designing these warning markers, keeping in mind the changes that have occurred in Homo sapiens during the past 10,000 years and those that might occur in the next 10 millennia. |
Consider This 7.29 Yucca Mountain
What is the current status of Yucca Mountain as a HLW long-term repository? What positions are being taken by the players involved? Use the resources of the Web to find out. Be sure to cite your sources.
Hint: The Office of Civilian Waste Management manages the Yucca Mountain Project for the federal government. The Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects prepared a report entitled The 2006 State of Nevada Yucca Mountain Survey Report summarizing several public opinion surveys regarding Yucca Mountain. |
Consider This 7.31 Depleted Uranium
Depleted uranium is used to tip antitank shells. These first were used in the Gulf War in 1991 and later in other armed conflicts, including Kuwait, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. For example, the Department of Defense estimates that over 120,000 kg of DU was employed in the first year of the Iraq War (March 2003–March 2004). Research the properties of DU to learn why it is used in this way. Also summarize the controversies involved.
Hint: You might find the article Depleted Uranium [DU] published by GlobalSecurity.org to be a useful starting point. The authors of this site write "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. We try to bring you the facts, to help you form your opinion. We try to stick to the facts, and let others debate opinion." Consider This 7.33 The Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded since 1901, has honored people who have worked on many issues relating to peace in the world, including those relating to nuclear energy and nuclear warfare.
a. Visit the official Web site of the Nobel Foundation. Learn more about the circumstances surrounding the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize by reading the press release. Summarize what you learned in four to six bullet points.
b. From a list of other recipients of the Peace Prize, find at least one other person or group who worked on nuclear issues. Again, summarize what you learned in a series of bullet points.
c. On the same Web site, access the materials under the educational link. Play the Peace Dove Game, one that has you match a region of the world with peace doves bearing a message intended for it. What new information did you gain from this game? |
Consider This 7.34 Informed Citizens
To convey what you have learned to others, draft a set of FAQ (frequently asked questions) that relate to the use of nuclear reactors to generate electricity. Write at least five questions and provide the answers. For example, you might begin with "Can a nuclear power plant explode like an atomic bomb?" and then use the information provided in Section 7.2 to write your answer.
Hint: Check out the fact sheets and brochures provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Here you can learn more about what is of interest to the public.
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