Nuclear Power
Nuclear power is a very controversial topic. While there are clear benefits to this type of energy, there have been devastating incidents with very high death rates. Radiation, a by-product of nuclear power, is a very dangerous side-effect that comes along with nuclear power. Though it is used in many positive ways, such as in health procedures, it is harmful to human tissue. The consequences of using nuclear power need to be thoroughly examined before a decision is made.
The dangers of nuclear power are numerous, but it should not go unmentioned that nuclear power is extremely beneficial in terms of decreasing the pollutants that are continually released into the atmosphere, the amount of energy per gram produced, and the …show more content…
Radiation, a by-product of nuclear is extremely harmful to the health of humans. In the event of a nuclear meltdown, radiation leakage is a common. This is dangerous because radiation can cause an illness called radiation sickness or acute radiation syndrome. However, there is an even more serious health effect; depending on what part of the body and for how long one is exposed to radiation, exposure can cause death. In addition, concerning long term health effects of radiation, exposure may also cause cancer or premature aging. Aside from health risks, another disadvantage of nuclear power is that there is the constant risk of a meltdown. It only takes a small mistake for everything to go wrong. For example, in 1986 the Russian power plant Chernobyl was destroyed when, during a safety drill, the reactor core became overheated and the reactor exploded, blowing off the roof of the plant and causing a fire. Thirty-one of the sixty-nine firefighters who rushed to the scene died from direct exposure to radiation, and many others suffered from sickness as a result of their exposure. A town nearby was evacuated because of the meltdown and the danger of radiation leakage. Furthermore, a toxic cloud produced from the explosion reached as far as the United States. All of this came from a few …show more content…
Although there are many beneficial aspects to nuclear power, the risk is too high. The extremely high-risk process of generating power from nuclear fission relies on humans, and humans make errors. Though it is normal for everyone to make mistakes, accidents made in nuclear power plants can wipe out dozens of people, and cause numerous others to become ill with radiation sickness. Furthermore, areas close to the site of the nuclear meltdown would have to be evacuated for fear of the effects of the spreading radiation. Often, residents of areas that have to be evacuated are not able to return within their lifetimes, which shows that many of the negative effects of nuclear power are long-term. Short-term effects of nuclear power and its harmful by-products include death and illness, but illness also reappears under long-term effects, because radiation can cause cancer down the road, and acute radiation syndrome can continue to damage the health of its victim throughout his/her life. Thousands can lose their homes in the event of a meltdown, and, financially this would be a major setback. A meltdown could potentially drastically break the economy of an area, depending on how reliant that area was on nuclear power and how much money was invested in the power plant. In my opinion, the amount of lives, money, and effort wasted in the event of a meltdown does not compare to the benefits of such a high-risk
Nuclear power is a very controversial topic. While there are clear benefits to this type of energy, there have been devastating incidents with very high death rates. Radiation, a by-product of nuclear power, is a very dangerous side-effect that comes along with nuclear power. Though it is used in many positive ways, such as in health procedures, it is harmful to human tissue. The consequences of using nuclear power need to be thoroughly examined before a decision is made.
The dangers of nuclear power are numerous, but it should not go unmentioned that nuclear power is extremely beneficial in terms of decreasing the pollutants that are continually released into the atmosphere, the amount of energy per gram produced, and the …show more content…
Radiation, a by-product of nuclear is extremely harmful to the health of humans. In the event of a nuclear meltdown, radiation leakage is a common. This is dangerous because radiation can cause an illness called radiation sickness or acute radiation syndrome. However, there is an even more serious health effect; depending on what part of the body and for how long one is exposed to radiation, exposure can cause death. In addition, concerning long term health effects of radiation, exposure may also cause cancer or premature aging. Aside from health risks, another disadvantage of nuclear power is that there is the constant risk of a meltdown. It only takes a small mistake for everything to go wrong. For example, in 1986 the Russian power plant Chernobyl was destroyed when, during a safety drill, the reactor core became overheated and the reactor exploded, blowing off the roof of the plant and causing a fire. Thirty-one of the sixty-nine firefighters who rushed to the scene died from direct exposure to radiation, and many others suffered from sickness as a result of their exposure. A town nearby was evacuated because of the meltdown and the danger of radiation leakage. Furthermore, a toxic cloud produced from the explosion reached as far as the United States. All of this came from a few …show more content…
Although there are many beneficial aspects to nuclear power, the risk is too high. The extremely high-risk process of generating power from nuclear fission relies on humans, and humans make errors. Though it is normal for everyone to make mistakes, accidents made in nuclear power plants can wipe out dozens of people, and cause numerous others to become ill with radiation sickness. Furthermore, areas close to the site of the nuclear meltdown would have to be evacuated for fear of the effects of the spreading radiation. Often, residents of areas that have to be evacuated are not able to return within their lifetimes, which shows that many of the negative effects of nuclear power are long-term. Short-term effects of nuclear power and its harmful by-products include death and illness, but illness also reappears under long-term effects, because radiation can cause cancer down the road, and acute radiation syndrome can continue to damage the health of its victim throughout his/her life. Thousands can lose their homes in the event of a meltdown, and, financially this would be a major setback. A meltdown could potentially drastically break the economy of an area, depending on how reliant that area was on nuclear power and how much money was invested in the power plant. In my opinion, the amount of lives, money, and effort wasted in the event of a meltdown does not compare to the benefits of such a high-risk