AP Environmental Science / Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption
6.6 Nuclear Power
Notes
Fission splits uranium-235, releasing heat to make steam.
- No $\mathrm{CO_2}$ during operation; very energy dense.
- Problems: radioactive waste, thermal pollution, risk of accidents (Chernobyl, Fukushima), mining.
- Half-life: time for half a radioactive sample to decay.
Practice
A main drawback of nuclear power:
Storage for thousands of years.
A sample with a 10-year half-life starts at 80 g. After 30 years:
Three half-lives.
Nuclear plants release heated water, causing:
Warmer water has less oxygen.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 6 test.