Nuclear Power Plant With A Footprint Of One Square Mile

Nuclear Power Plant With A Footprint Of One Square Mile
David B. Karrick II Professor King English 102–01 12/03/14 The Thorium Resurrection One
nuclear power plant with a footprint of one square mile provides the energy equivalent of 20 square
miles of solar panels, 1200 windmills, or the entire Hoover Dam. All of this power comes without
any greenhouse gas emission although they do produce nuclear waste. Unfortunately most nuclear
energy comes at the risk of a potential nuclear meltdown like Chernobyl or Fukushima. While
nuclear meltdowns are rare there does exist a potential nuclear fuel that promises even cheaper
energy, with no chance of a nuclear meltdown, and significantly less nuclear waste. Thorium is a
radioactive element close to uranium on the periodic table, named after the Norse warrior god Thor,
which promises large amount of safe nuclear energy. The first thorium reactor was the Molten Salt
Reactor (MSR) constructed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories in 1964. "In place of the familiar
fuel rods of modern nuclear plants, the MSR used liquid fuel–hot fluoride salt containing dissolved
fissile material in a solution roughly the viscosity of water at operating temperature" (Hargraves
304). It operated from 1965 until 1969 without issue before it was decommissioned (Hargraves
304). It was determined that uranium used in a Light Water Reactor (LWR) was the quickest easiest
way to power a nuclear submarine. Also the waste from the uranium LWR can be used to make
bombs. While both of those reasons made sense during the
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Alternative Energy Sources And The Future Of Those Sources
Bhargava Velagaleti Ms. Stoner English 150 28 September 2015 Alternate Energy Sources and the
Future of those sources Some of the major on–going controversies in this decade are Keystone XL
pipeline , fracking and climate change. These issues are co–related to each other and they all have
one thing in common i.e energy from fossil fuels . Proponents for the Keystone XL pipeline &
fracking argue that it would reduce the energy dependence on foreign oil. Although they are good
for the energy security of the US, it may be a step backwards in terms of controlling climate change
and looking for alternatives. Our energy use has dramatically improved our lives , but this energy is
derived mostly from fossil fuels has resulted in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Nuclear energy seemed to start a much touted Renaissance in the US, but the feasibility of fracking
and Fukushima disaster have stopped it. Nuclear energy has huge potential to meet our energy needs
with minimal risks and no carbon emissions. There is need for developing better reactors and using
fuel sources like Thorium which is safer and more abundant than Uranium. Some of the advantages
of Thorium are it is easy to control a reaction ,produces waste products that are less radioactive and
it is difficult to convert this waster into a weapon and generate more energy per ton (Katusa ,1) . The
non–feasibility of converting Thorium to a nuclear weapon has prevented it from becoming a major
fuel source (Katusa, 1) . The other major problem for developing Thorium reactors are fabricating
the fuel economically and lack of investment in the development of Thorium based reactors (Katusa
,1) . Nuclear energy has the capability to replace fossil fuels like coal and natural gas

The Alternative Energy Of Politics Missing?
What is Alternative Energy in Politics Missing?
Issues like global warming, pollution, or energy consumption are very mainstream and hot topics in
today's political world. Changing the United State's energy agenda is something that does not
happen overnight, so a lot of governmental and social support is required to make a difference. This
means alternative energy and alternative energy sources are a weighty issue in governmental
campaigns. Many heads turn toward the candidates on what side of the issue they stand. Many
candidates provide a clear stance on topics like wind, solar, or fossil fueled energy; however, I
noticed the nuclear energy industry in politics does not get much attention.
Even though the US has heavy private sector ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Well first I have to answer, what exactly is thorium?
Thorium is the alternate energy path that was never taken. Thorium
based nuclear power is produced
from the fission of a specific uranium isotope derived from the father atom, thorium. It has several
upsides that uranium or plutonium does not possess. It's main advantages include it's huge
abundance on earth, superior physical properties, reduced nuclear waste production, and the lack of
weaponization as most of the world is antinuclear. Thorium is a healthier, cheaper, and safer
alternative to uranium, and is essential to the future and success of the nuclear industry.
Well, it's crazy the difference a couple of neutrons make. The substance that actually runs a thorium
based reactor is a certain isotope of uranium. An isotope is a form of the same element with the
same number of protons but differs in the number of neutrons. Uranium has three major isotopes:
uranium
238, uranium
235, and uranium
234. The isotope used to power a thorium based reactor is
uranium
233. It is only produced by blasting the thorium atoms with neutrons, actually a relatively
simple process. Now considering thorium is three times more abundant than uranium, only 0.7% of
natural uranium is a fissionable isotope. That is the uranium
235 isotope, whereas the other 98%,
uranium
238, has to undergo a strenuous preparation process before it is reactor
ready. It has to be
enriched by

The Function Of A Modern Nuclear Power Device And Process
Part 1: Explain the function of a modern nuclear power device and process
The liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) is a type of molten salt reactor which will generate
electrical power. LFTR's are a hypothetical and innovative solution to the future of power
production which are a viable replacement of the current flawed uranium reactors.
Thorium is three times more abundant than uranium (World Nuclear, 2015) which can be used 200
times more efficient than current uranium usage. Thorium also emits alpha particles which is less
biologically harmful compared to uranium which emits gamma particles. The radiotoxicity of waste
across power production methods can be seen in source 1. The capital costs of thorium reactors are
also lower than conventional nuclear reactors; a 1 gigawatt (GW) thorium power plant costs at an
estimated $780 million in comparison to capital costs currently of $1.1 billion per GW for a uranium
fuelled reactor.
The most prominent nuclear reactors used for electricity generation operate on the uranium fuel
cycle. The fuel used in nuclear reactors is composed two primary isotopes: uranium–235 (235U) and
uranium–238 (238U). 235U is a fissile isotope of uranium, while 238U is a fertile isotope. Once
238U is hit by a neutron, it will go through radioactive decay and become 239Pu (plutonium– 239),
which is fissile. Only 0.7% of naturally occurring uranium is 235U where the vast majority is 238U.
Thus, most nuclear reactors use a design where 3–4% of the

Thorium, Fuel Of The Future?
Thorium, fuel of the Future? By: The Atomic Waffles
Throughout history, the availability of a reliable, safe, and efficient source of energy has dictated
what humans can and cannot achieve. The use of Thorium as a next generation fuel gives us the
opportunity to become a wealthier and a more environmentally conscious species. Thorium also
presents us with the ability to do away with virtually every other form of energy production. In a
world that is completely dependent on energy, the reliability of the resource is of the utmost
importance. But perhaps even more important than that is it's safety. This is why we chose to model
how the reactor handles catastrophes that could possibly put the reaction in turmoil such as
earthquakes and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Thorium, is much more safe for a multitude of reasons one of the most important being its frozen
drain. Because we obviously did not have the resources to build a thorium reactor we decided to
demonstrate one of its strongest attributes, the frozen drain safety feature.
This core of the drain is kept cold throughout the reaction of thorium separating the reaction above
and the safety chamber below. This is shown incredibly useful in natural disasters where the energy
to the reactor can not be supplied so instead of there being a Fukushima like meltdown the thorium,
fluoride salt mixture is drained into a chamber where it can be properly disposed of when energy is
restored. Thorium is also incapable of sustaining a nuclear reaction on its own unlike uranium and
plutonium which get out of hand all on their own. This safety mechanism goes beyond keeping the
area and ecosystem around it safe. This simple frozen salt drain plug can help save massive amounts
of money and animal life too. A perfect demonstration of what can be avoided with the use of
LFTRs is the Fukushima meltdown. In march of 2011 a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan,
was damaged by a tsunami causing massive radiation leaks spanning over 800 square kilometers.
This lead to the relocation of roughly 160,000 people and made over 500 billion dollars worth of
land and city being rendered useless. An even more irreversible

Nuclear Reactors : The Rise Of Nuclear Power
The world is in an energy crisis because humans solely rely on finite sources of energy such as coal,
natural gas, and oil. If humans consume these resources at status quo consumption rates, oil is
projected to run out in 2051, gas in 2060, and coal in 2087. The evidence points to how the world is
facing a huge problem that must be solved in the next half century. One possible method to solve
this crisis is the rise of nuclear power. Nuclear reactors are a technology that has rapidly proliferated
in the last half century while receiving both positive and negative reactions. The current status quo
nuclear reactors in use are old light water reactors with many dangers, however the thorium reactor
creates new possibilities for solving a multitude of problems.
Nuclear reactors were supposed to serve as the solution for the world energy crisis, environmental
problems, and a whole slew more due to the interdependency of issues and solutions in our world.
However, nuclear reactors still contain many disadvantages such as nuclear waste, nuclear accidents,
and the non–renewable nature of uranium–235 that all nuclear reactors rely on (Rinkesh 2013). In
just the U.S. there are 99 nuclear reactors (PRIS 2016). Furthermore, there are 438 nuclear reactors
active in the world today with all 438 relying on uranium–235 as a central fuel source (World
Statistics 2015), which will only perpetuate the existing issues that uranium reactors bring such as
nuclear waste and nuclear accidents.

Plutonium Vs Uranium Research Paper
Safer Method of Obtaining Energy That the Government Doesn't Want You to Know. Not many
people are aware of this, but we have the greatest source of energy that is sustainable, and better for
the environment, and it has been right under our noses! Nuclear power, but not the nuclear power
you're thinking of. The common nuclear power plant uses uranium or a mix of uranium and
plutonium, but the safest method substitutes the high use of uranium for thorium. What is thorium?
Well, it is another element on the periodic table just like uranium and plutonium. The difference is
that this one creates less radiation. That means that if a disaster were to happen, the quarantine
period would be reduced drastically; decreasing time radiation in

Argumentative Essay On Nuclear Energy
3.0– High school audience (education)
(Transcript from a talk given at high schools during National Science Week 2018)
The future of powering your Xbox/PlayStation
We need electricity to do almost everything in our modern lives something you will be well aware of
if your house has ever lost power unexpectedly. You can't watch TV or YouTube, play your
PlayStation or Xbox and your parents certainly can't cook dinner. But as you all probably know
most of the energy we use comes from fossil fuels which is horrible for the environment and if we
don't find a replacement for them it'll be your generation who has to deal with the consequences.
But what can we use instead? Well how about nuclear power.
But what's nuclear power?
Nuclear power when we split an atom into smaller atoms. Generally, nuclear reactors today take
Uranium fire a neutron at it and bang that uranium atom splits, producing neutrons which go on to
split more uranium atoms, some smaller atoms and heat.
Cool side note this is alchemy what scientists are doing is taking uranium one type of element and
turning it into different elements, now we just need to work out how to turn lead into gold!
Anyway, the heat, heats up water which becomes steam and rises turning turbines to produce
electricity.
So what's the problem?
Well using uranium has a few problems. Firstly the waste from these reactors remains radioactive
thus dangerous for ten's of thousands of years (SciShow 2012) also when something goes wrong it
goes

Thorium-Uranium Dating
Many researchers used techniques that would be able to answer their questions among the
mysterious reason for why there was abundant of creatures that had gone extinct. Overkill has some
assumption; humans drove these large–bodied mammal to their extinctions, but a few researcher
disagree that just simple human hunting was the predominant factor. Along with abundance of other
evidence, overkill specialists mainly cite ethnographic and archaeological data to show that humans
were able to hunt megafauna (Waguespack and Surovell, 2003). In addition several models have
been used to support the credibility of an overkill skem (Alroy, 1999) Researcher have used optical
and thorium–uranium methods to get ages for rocks with large–animal remains (Alroy, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Those who bicker for a climate–driven explanation for terminal Pleistocene extinctions blame
various array of circumstance, adding shifts in vegetation (Guthrie, 2003) The hunters seen the
impact the ice age had on the animals, as soon as they left they simply had no choice but follow
them till they reached a location, region where the animals had marked as their habitat for the most
part. Alroy then incorporated a various of parameters that would be able to particularize how quickly
the predators peripatetic, was able to see how skillfully the hunters were able to hunt and how
numerous prey would challenge with each other for food. No matter how he fixed the variables,
mass extinctions ensued. Surprising the dumbest hunters unleashed environmental destruction
(Alroy, 1999.) Mainly the larger creatures in which had maybe the slowest growth rate and a slow
gestation periods were very strenuous to jump back just when their population collapsed. They had
limited sources of survival, or simply the size of the creature wouldn't allow for them to adapt to
their new territory. Regardless of what Alroy had found, not everyone was

Uranium Vs Plutonium Research Paper
They have always used Uranium and Plutonium isotopes in nuclear power plants to create energy.
These isotopes have lots of hazards however. For example, they run the risk of having a nuclear
meltdown. There is another type of nuclear power that is a lot less risky and it is called Thorium.
Not only is thorium less risky, it is also more abundant in nature than Uranium. They were testing
Thorium at the next generation nuclear power plant I was working at. You might be asking, if it is
more abundant and less risky, why are they just now using it? The idea for using thorium has been
around since 1960. In 1973, they were proposals for research in the United States. These proposals
didn't fall through though and that is because of nuclear weapons. During this time, was the Cold
War, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These control rods are not guaranteed to work. They can be affected in a reactor error. That is why
older reactors could overheat and lose control causing an accident. A thorium reactor can be
instantly shut down by turning off the stream of neutrons. Shutting down the cycle means stopping
the breeding of Th–232 into U–233. This will keep things from getting any more out of hand. Also,
the thorium reactors can be created to function in a liquid state while the uranium and plutonium
reactors cannot. When the older reactors were heading towards a meltdown, there was no way to
stop the fission reactions. A thorium reactor design called LFTR has a "plug" at the bottom of the
reactor that melts if the temperature of the reacting fuel gets too high. If this were to happen, all the
hot liquid would fall into a container and the reaction will stop. That keeps things from getting out
of control. Thorium has other benefits to. Some of those being: less nuclear waste, easier to obtain,
and it is harder to create a bomb with (most would say that's

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COGNI ID: COG16/02934 , COG16/06545 ,COG16/003017
IDEAZ B: Plunge in the oil & petroleum–gas market and exploring new areas of energy.
Thorium as a Vehicle Fuel
It is estimated that useful life of world's well known petroleum reserves will last 40 years, natural
gas will last 61 years and coal reserves will be exhausted in 227 years. Decrease in fossil fuel
reserves due to fast consuming and environmental damages due to increasing environmental
pollution makes it necessary to orient towards new and renewable energy resources. Thorium is a
metal found in ores such as thorite, thorianite and monazid and it is an important energy source for
electronuclear power which is found three times more than uranium. It was proved only in 1993 that
thorium may be used as fuel in nuclear reactors. Study on first reactors planned to be commissioned
in 2010 is still performed by CERN (European Center for Nuclear Research). With this regards, it is
somewhat a raw material of raw material waiting its commissioning time.
Extracting its latent energy value in a cost–effective manner remains a challenge, and will require
considerable R&D investment. It is fertile rather than fissile, and can only be used as a fuel in
conjunction with a fissile

The Problem Of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power is one of the most controversial issues of today's society. This stems from the fact
that although nuclear power holds vast amounts of potential, it currently has many problems. One of
the main problems is figuring out what to do with the waste. The waste itself is too dangerous to
dispose of in any conventional way, so presently, most of it is sealed in concrete casks and put into
storage (in bunkers) until it stops being dangerous. This might not seem like a bad idea at first, but
the problem with this idea is that the waste won't stop being dangerous for many, many years. There
have to be better solutions to this problem.
As it turns out, there are a few. The most promising in the short term is to recycle the nuclear waste,
like any normal type of waste. In order to understand how this and some other solutions work, a
crash course in basic nuclear physics will be provided. Now, that might sound a bit difficult, but it's
actually pretty simple, and chances are some of it was taught in elementary school science class.
Anyone who feels they already know what they need to know, or can't be bothered to read it, should
feel free to skim through or skip the crash course.
Let's get started! Every physical object in existence is made of atoms. Atoms are made of three basic
components: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons carry a positive(+) electrostatic charge,
electrons carry a negative(–) electrostatic charge and are about a thousandth the mass of a proton,

The Pipeline, Fracking, And Climate Change
Alternate Energy Sources and the Future of those sources Some of the major on–going controversies
in this decade are Keystone XL pipeline , fracking, and climate change. These issues are co–related
to each other and they all have one thing in common, energy from fossil fuels . Proponents for the
Keystone XL pipeline & fracking argue that it would reduce the energy dependence on foreign oil.
Although they are good for the energy security of the US, it may be a step backwards in terms of
controlling climate change and looking for alternatives. Our energy use has dramatically improved
our lives , but this energy is derived mostly from fossil fuels and has resulted in environmental
change , and depletion of fossil fuels (Shahriar 181 ). This leads to continuing military conflict .
This resulted in developing and using alternate resources for the increasing energy demand. These
alternatives can be helpful in reducing carbon emissions while ensuring the energy independence .
These sources are wind ,solar ,geothermal, hydro, nuclear and renewable bio fuels. Some of these
sources are renewable , meaning they can be replenished, while others like nuclear, are non–
renewable, yet are clean sources of energy. For better sustainability , society continues to explore the
challenges of these energy options to help implement the necessary changes for an environmentally
friendly and energy independent future. Nuclear energy Although the second world war was
devastating , it had a

Environmental Impacts Of Renewable Energy
In a world without coal power, we must use alternative sources of energy to power our lives.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, will soon fill this void.
Renewable energy is popular with the public, as it has few negative health and environmental
impacts. Advancing technologies also mean we will be able to store the energy from these sources,
which is particularly useful on days which aren't sunny or windy. Elon Musk recently announced he
will build the world's largest battery in South Australia. This has made battery storage a reality for
many states and countries. However, it will take time for this technology to be cost effective,
commonplace and efficient.
Until then, if we stop using coal, our energy demand will exceed our energy supply. Unless we use
nuclear.
Nuclear power has been extensively criticised by health and environmental experts, and the public.
Accidents, such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, dominate public opinion regarding nuclear energy.
And indeed, when things go wrong, nuclear can be disastrous. Nuclear power is not a long–term
solution. However, in terms of trying to reduce our carbon footprint, nuclear is far better than coal.
Until we have appropriate energy storage, we won't be able to fully rely on renewable energy. But if
we are to meet the expectations set out in the Paris Agreement, we need nuclear. At least for now.
Climate Change
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main driver for climate change, and the more we emit into the
atmosphere,

Nuclear Technology And Its Impact On The Atomic Age
On August 6th and 9th, 1945 the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Japan. With the use of these new weapons a door was opened that could never be closed, a new and
uncertain era was now upon the world, and the use of atomic power could mean the betterment or
destruction of a nation at a moment's notice. Whether you like it or not, you live in the atomic age
and it can have many implications that you may or may not know about. The Manhattan Project is
well known to have developed the first two atomic bombs, fat man, and little boy, but nuclear
technology was being researched many years before this. Uranium was first found in 1789 by
Martin Klaproth, and was discovered to have ionizing radiation in 1895 by Wilhelm Rontgen
(Outline History of Nuclear Energy). More and more information on uranium and other materials
were being discovered, such as: radioactive materials emitting alpha particles in 1896 by Henri
Becquerel, in 1902 the discovery of radiation being a spontaneous event by Ernest Rutherford, Niels
Bohr and his increased understanding of the atom, in 1932 when James Chadwick discovered the
neutron, etc. Other nations also spent resources on developing nuclear technology such as in Russia
with their Radium Institute of Leningrad FTI, but was hampered with Stalin's purges that eliminated
prominent scientists working there; British scientists developed the concept of the atomic bomb with
the MAUD committee in 1940 and continued research on the

History of Thorium
History of thorium
Thorium is naturally a radioactive chemical element, which was discovered in 1828 from the
Norwegian mineralogist Morten Thrane Esmark, and named Thor from Jons Jakob Bezelius, which
means the "Norse God of Thunder." Thorium is the most abundant metal found in earth crust and
had been scattered million years ago in the galaxy, with the explosion of meteors known as
supernova. Thorium generates radioactive gas products, as radon–20 decay. Other decay by–
products of thorium are radium and actinium. But, thorium is found in nature as thorium–232, which
has a half–life and endures under alpha decay. Thorium decay produces a significant amount of
internal heat energy. Thorium is found in the same amount as lead, and four ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Some of the disadvantages of using thorium fuel is the production of 233Pa, an halfway product
which produces 233U. 233 Pa relatively has a half–life of 27 days and produces a great amount of
233U. And a second disadvantage of using thorium fuel is the contamination of 232U, due to the
high energy of gamma radiation that is emitted from one of its decay products. Uranium–235
reactors are known as nuclear reactors, which are capable to produce a significant amount of nuclear
weapons. With the uranium–235 reactors people were able to make nuclear weapons, presenting a
non–safety and non–stability environment. Also the production of uranium–235 presents the
wastage of its radioactive byproducts in the environment, which requires a hundred years to decay.
What is the status of constructing a thorium reactor to produce power? Thorium reactors based on
their safety, cleanness and the ability to produce a large amount of energy has triggered the idea of
constructing thorium reactor as an easy way to produce any source of power. There are several
thorium reactors that are used to produce power : Heavy Water Reactor( PHWRs) this is a reactor
based on thorium fuel due to the combination of neutrons that can be absorbed to produce 233U, an
average of neutron energy produced and flexible in recycling fuel ability. High–temperature

The Process Of Producing Nuclear Energy From Thorium
This essay focuses on the process of producing nuclear energy from thorium. First, basic
information about the element is covered as well as its uses up until the present. Next, the history of
thorium energy is covered, including details of previous successful studies and experiments. This is
supplemented with a detailed explanation of the benefits and drawbacks of thorium energy, and this
is immediately followed by a brief explanation of the chemistry behind the technology. Finally, the
future of the thorium energy is discussed, along with a few examples of companies, governments,
and organizations which are currently researching and promoting the concept.
Thorium has long been the subject of scientific research ever ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Things are starting to turn around for thorium though, as people are beginning to realize that
thorium power offers cleaner, more powerful, and safer energy than anything humanity has ever
known before, and they are beginning to take action to make thorium more widely known as an
important prospective energy source. Fig. 1. Thorium Element. Digital image. Periodictable.com.
Periodictable.com. Web. 15 May 2016
Fig. 2. Karolewski, Lucasz. Thorium Lantern Mantle. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 28 Jan.
2014. Web. 15 May 2016
Thorium is a silvery radioactive metal which was discovered in 1828 and is relatively common in
nature (see fig. 1) (World Nuclear Association). According to the World Nuclear Association,
thorium is about three times more abundant than uranium; an average average soil sample contains
about 3ppm thorium, making the element about as common as lead. In nature, thorium occurs only
as Th–232, which has a half–life of about 3 times the age of the earth (World Nuclear Association).
Thorium has found use in the past in some objects such as light bulbs, lantern mantels, and some
ceramics as thorium oxide because of its exceptionally high melting point (see fig. 2) (World
Nuclear Association).
Estimates show there are over 6 million metric tons of thorium worldwide, which could be extracted
at a profitable rate, making the element a viable candidate for nuclear energy production (OECD). In
fact, thorium was even being researched as a

Nuclear Power In Australia Essay
When Australians hear that nuclear power might be coming to their beloved country they start to get
worried. There is no need to get anxious because there are far more advantages to nuclear power
than disadvantages. Imagine if we didn't have to pay for electricity every year because of all the
power Australia could be producing, I'm sure that everyone would find this very profitable.
Australia produces 92% of its electricity through fossil fuels. This incredibly high percentage puts us
in the top 10 fossil burning countries of the world. Unfortunately, the burning of fossil fuels is
directly linked to global warming, which is rapidly becoming a vast problem. Australia's other main
energy source is hydro–electricity; however, it only generates ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
France gets an incredible 80% of its electricity from nuclear power and additionally boasts an
outstanding safety record. Since building its 16 nuclear power plants there has not been a single
incident or disaster, now that's pretty impressive. Unlike Australia's high greenhouse gas emissions
Frances greenhouse emissions are relatively low, mainly because of the use of nuclear power. If we
don't plan a reactor in the next 10 years, Australia will be regarded as technologically backward.
We all know that nuclear power plants use uranium to generate their power. Most people believe
uranium is dangerous because of its radioactivity and its use in atomic bombs. If you believe this
then I agree with you, uranium is a dangerous element that should not be used. Luckily for us there
is a safe alternative to uranium, it's called thorium.
Thorium shares several similarities with its neighbour two doors down on the periodic table,
uranium. Both elements are silvery metals and are mildly radioactive as ores. They are each
moderately abundant in the Earth's crust, and can release enormous amounts of energy under the
right conditions. Thorium has many advantages over uranium which include: fail–safe reactor
operation because thorium reactor designs are incapable of an explosion or meltdown; less
radioactive waste, and a higher output of

Nuclear Energy Persuasive Essay
David B. Karrick II
Professor King
English 102–01
12/05/14
The Thorium Resurrection
One nuclear power plant with a footprint of one square mile provides the energy equivalent of 20
square miles of solar panels, 1200 windmills, or the entire Hoover Dam. All of this power comes
without any greenhouse gas emission although they do produce nuclear waste. Unfortunately most
nuclear energy comes at the risk of a potential nuclear meltdown like Chernobyl or Fukushima.
While nuclear meltdowns may be rare there does is a potential nuclear fuel that promises even
cheaper energy, with no chance of a nuclear meltdown, and produces significantly less nuclear
waste. Thorium is a radioactive element close to uranium on the periodic table, named after the ...
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Bill Gates' nuclear company, called TerraPower, is investigating in the possibility of using thorium
fuel and molten salt reactors for better safety, waste and economics (Halper). Even the tech giant
Google decided to host the Thorium Energy Alliance Conference and has on multiple occasions
invited several thorium experts including Kirk Sorensen. Kirk Sorensen is a former NASA
aerospace engineer, former chief nuclear technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering, and a
founder of Flibe Energy, an American company that intends to design, construct, and operate small
LFTRs. The United States has had multiple thorium research reactors including the most famous
MSR at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, and the Saint Vrain
Generating Station but they are also slating to launch another reactor project in Odessa, Texas next
year. Canada, China, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Norway, and even the United Kingdom has
experimented with thorium. Candu Energy based out of Canada recently had joint venture
agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation to build nuclear reactors in China (Marowits).
This is significant because the Candu reactor has seen a vast amount of research with thorium as a
fuel. While these reactors may not use thorium they are much more easily repurposed than other
reactors. India has the

The Effects Of Radioactive Decay On The World
Thorium has long been the subject of scientific research ever since its discovery, and now it appears
that this obscure element may be the energy source which could fuel humanity for generations to
come. While thorium has a complicated history, the element remains very important to humanity for
many reasons. Discovered about the same time as uranium in the 19th century, thorium has been
well known to the scientific community for many years (World Nuclear Association). In fact,
famous scientists like Marie Curie and Ernest Rutherford worked with the element in several
experiments when radioactive decay was first being discovered. Since that time, however, thorium
has largely been thrown by the wayside for use in practical applications such as energy production
in favor of neighboring elements uranium and plutonium. Things are starting to turn around for
thorium though, as people are beginning to realize that thorium power offers cleaner, more
powerful, and safer energy than anything humanity has ever known before, and they are beginning
to take action to make thorium more widely known as an important prospective energy source. Fig.
1. Thorium Element. Digital image. Periodictable.com. Periodictable.com. Web. 15 May 2016 Fig.
2. Karolewski, Lucasz. Thorium Lantern Mantle. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 28 Jan.
2014. Web. 15 May 2016 Thorium is a silvery radioactive metal which was discovered in 1828 and
is relatively common in nature (see fig. 1) (World Nuclear

Effects Of Nuclear Power On The Future
Evaluation of Nuclear Power in the Future Nuclear power is one of the most controversial forms of
energy in the modern world; the destructive power of nuclear armaments has led to a worldwide fear
of nuclear energy in all of its forms. But as scientific communities continue to learn more about
nuclear power, as well as ways to make it more practical in the competitive energy market, it may
soon see an increase in use in the United States. This necessitates the consideration of possible
improvements to nuclear power plants that would warrant an increase in their use. If the United
States is to invest its money and time into nuclear power, it must first evaluate the potential
improvements to plant efficiency, maintenance, and other factors, ... Show more content on
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al.). This combination of fuel reprocessing and reactors that can burn said fuel would allow more
power to be extracted from the name quantity of uranium. Meanwhile, other scientists are
developing methods to increase plant efficiency without changing the fuel. Jacopo Buongiorno,
nuclear science and engineering director at MIT, has developed a method of permeating water with
"tiny particles of oxides and metals only billionths of a meter in diameter," or nanoparticles, creating
a substance known as "nano–spiked water," which can "remove up to two times more heat than
ordinary water" (Halber). Nuclear reactors generate electricity by utilizing the energy produced from
"burning" uranium to evaporate water into steam, which is then used to turn a turbine. Nano–spiked
water can absorb substantially more heat from the fused uranium, meaning less of the energy
produced in the form of heat is lost and more energy will be produced with the same quantity of
fuel. However, both of these methods have limitations, and are not immediately implementable.
Although "pyrometallurgical recycling technology [. . .] has been successfully demonstrated on a
pilot level in operating power plants, both in the U.S. and in Russia," it is not yet commercially
usable, while

Thorium Over Uranium In Nuclear Power
I have learned that where I lack discipline in editing my papers, I excel in going with the flow of
things. Without having to worry about the structure or order of my paper, I 'am extremely capable of
creating a story or paper without rushing myself. I feel as if I'am talking with my hands when type
the words down on to this digital piece of paper. My spelling and my function mean nothing because
they only hold me back if i choose to let them do so. MY biggest problem was when i work; the fear
of breaking the english language rule. Now if i concentrate on just writing the essay or writing the
research paper without worry about all the rules, I find myself able to writing hundreds of words in
the matter of minutes . Where it use to pain me to write so clearly and thoughtfully, now writing
without causation has let me be able to write more fluidly and creatively. As of right now I have ...
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For example when I invested on Thorium over Uranium in nuclear power plants. I put myself in the
shoes of humanity as a whole. For me the goal to improve upon the usage of Thorium would mean
the advancement of the human society as well. This is good because I try to pick topics that just
don't relate to one specific group for one specify goals. I believe that the META that governments
my mind seeks more than commercial or personal gain. For instance, I was completely for nuclear
energy when this paper came out. I completely thought we had absolute control when it came to
nuclear reactors and bombs. However, after further investigation, I have learned that power plants
and bombs go hand in hand. There is no uranium power power plants without uranium powered
bombs. The switch to thorium, I argued, would not only better our environment but also better
ourselves as a race because we take away the ability to completely obliterate ourselves off our own

The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power has been around since the 1950s, and has had varying opinions throughout the years
(iaea.org). At its conception, individuals viewed nuclear power as an unlimited source of energy.
People thought it would revolutionize the world and produce large amounts of power at extremely
low prices. However, opinions changed after catastrophic events like the reactor meltdowns at
Chernobyl and Fukushima. Over the years, nuclear reactors have improved and made safer, and the
power of the atom is slowly being tamed. There is still conflict between those who view nuclear
power as the future and those who view it as a curse. Nuclear power is the future. There are over
100 nuclear power plants active around the world which provide important

Nuclear Future : An Integral Part Of Human Society Essay
A Nuclear Future?
Energy is an integral part of human society. From our basic needs of food and shelter to transport
and industry, if we are to survive and prosper as a species our energy needs will need to continue to
be met. At present the majority of the world's energy needs are being met by fossil fuels such as oil
and coal (Asif& Muneer, 2005). Demand for energy is forecast to rise by 57% by 2025 (Asif&
Muneer, 2005) while at the same time fuel reserves are becoming depleted. As well as reserves not
being able to satisfy demand, the continual burning of oil and coal is having a major effect on the
climate, contributing to global warming as well as a degrading of the environment in general. This is
particularly evident in the third world where rampant population growth coupled with a desire for
improved standards of living and a move to western life styles means a rapid increase in demand for
energy. In shot we need an alternative to oil and coal. There are two main candidates, renewable
energy and nuclear power. Nuclear power has the potential to supply the world with clean and cheap
energy but there are a number of draw backs to using this source of energy. These include concerns
over safety, proliferation, cost and dealing with waste (Asif & Muneer, 2005).
The objective of this essay is to look at the drawbacks of the current nuclear reactor designs and

Radioactive Boy Scout By David Hahn
Introduction The book "Radioactive Boy Scout" is a true story about a boy named David Hahn that
attended a Michigan high school. His goal was to set out and build a fast breeder reactor in his
garden shed. He educated himself in these things by reading popular mechanics and the golden book
of chemistry experiments. Whatever he could not get from laboratory suppliers, universities,
hospitals, and nuclear agencies, he made himself. David collected household smoke detectors and
extracted americium–24. He also got assembled gas mantle covers and pulverized them to get
radioactive thorium and took the Geiger counter in to an antique shop where he found a clock with a
phial of radium paint left in it. With a little bit of things he had ... Show more content on
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David would go through medicine chest, and cabinets and gather things together like; toothpaste,
soap, medicine, cram, nail polish remover, and rubbing alcohol. He would mix everything together
into a metal bowl and stir all the contents together in an ashtray, after stirring all the things together
he realized all he had was a lifeless gray blob. So of course he added more things to it and
eventually caused the products to boil over and so David flushed them down the toilet.
Key Idea 2
David was so into science that he had no time for any other activities. Is dad tried to get him into
activities, but David never seemed interested. As David got older he tried many new things with
these things that became a lot more dangerous than just the things he was getting from the medicine
cabinets. David had a shed he worked all his experiments in that could explode. He would also work
at the side of his pool or in his room. David became in the boy scouts where he learned a lot of new
things about his experiments. He pursued in getting the atomic energy merit badge. As a final set of
tasks, David built a Geiger counter from a kit, he visited a hospital radiology unit to learn about the
medical uses of radioisotopes, constructed a model nuclear reactor. The model was built out of a
juice can, plastic pill bottles, coat hangers, soda straws, kitchen matches, and rubber bands. David's
Boy Scout education really influenced his nuclear dreams. David was finally

A New Paradigm Of Nuclear Energy
Albert Ai
Intro to Nuclear Physics
4–28–2015
Term Paper
A New Paradigm of Nuclear Energy – Thorium Based Breeder Reactors
Nuclear energy is one of the safest and cleanest forms of energy used today. At a rate of 1 death per
25 TWh generated, nuclear energy is 11 times safer than solar energy, which has an efficiency rate
of 1 death per 2.27 TWh generated and over 4000 times less deadly than coal at 161 deaths per TWh
(Wang, 2011). However, the inherent dangers, of a nuclear reactor meltdown still exists, despite the
safeguards implemented to make them increasingly unlikely. Meltdowns and breaches can occur due
to various factors, such construction defects, aging infrastructure, operator error, and natural
disasters as seen in widely ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Below is an equation outlining one possible fission reaction: Figure 1. An example fission reaction
for Uranium–235 (Bodner Research Group, n.d.)
Therefore, with each interaction releasing three more neutrons than it started with, the reaction can
perpetuate with no further energy input. In power plants, excess neutrons are absorbed by rods to
control the rate of reaction. If there is any error, the reaction can quickly get out of control and cause
a runaway reaction, creating a meltdown due to excessive heat.
By far and beyond, widespread catastrophic meltdowns are the cause of the general public's anxiety
when it comes to nuclear power. The most recent major nuclear disaster was at the Fukushima
Daiichi Reactor in Fukushima, Japan in 2011 (Simon, 2011). An earthquake–triggered tsunami
damaged the reactor and caused a meltdown, as well as a massive hydrogen gas explosion. This
explosion vented contaminated steam and radioactive material into the plant's surroundings, which
eventually made its way to nearby ocean currents, prefectures, and countries. With such a largely
publicized recent meltdown, the imminent dangers of containment breaches and meltdowns are still
fresh in the public's perception of nuclear power.
However, there are long–term waste disposal issues for

Why Do We Use Nuclear Energy?
Solar and wind are good power sources and they have their place but they do not stabilize the
system as nuclear power does, and they do not provide the tax revenue and highly–paid jobs that the
nuclear reactors provide. They also provide electricity at times of natures choosing, out of sync with
demand. Nuclear on the other hand produces electricity 24/7; unless they are replacing a fuel cell.
Thor–ium Their is a new kind of nuclear energy that is coming online. It is Thorium! Thorium is
everywhere and very cheap to come by. It is a little less efficient than a uranium, but it produces A
LOT less waste. Uranium waste stays radioactive for tens of thousands of year, thorium stays radio
active for about 300 years. Yes that is still ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
So why do we still use coal? That is a question environmentalists have been asking for years. As
Former Vice–President Al–Gore said "It will play a role. I think the waste issue can probably be
solved, and Fukushima notwithstanding, the safety of operation issue can probably be solved."
Nuclear also produces more energy than a coal power plant. A nuclear power plant can produce over
3,937 MW with only 3 reactors! A coal power plant is based on how many mega watts are going to
be produced not how much it can. Meaning the normal coal power plant produces 500MW with one
reactor. Here is one more thing. How much would you be willing to pay for electricity? Does 1.5
cents sound good? Well, almost everyone can afford 1.5 cents a kilowatt. The average house hold
uses about 909 Kilowatts a MONTH. meaning if you pay around 1.5 cents per kilowatt meaning you
pay something like 13 dollars a month. (Of course this is just on the price of electricity being
produced at the plant not your electricity bill.) But nuclear power is much more cheap, at only 0.02
cents per kilowatt meaning you would pay about 19 cents. That's nothing compared to 13

Nuclear Power And Nuclear Energy
While some say nuclear power is risky, the facts prove otherwise. Nuclear energy is often treated as
a taboo subject due to misconceptions throughout history by the public, but in actuality, nuclear
energy is relatively safe, when practiced correctly. Nuclear energy is a process in which atoms are
split, producing heat, which boils water. The steam then turns a turbine to produce electricity. While
fission is involved in nuclear bombs, the process in each are both different. The 'fuel' used for this
process is Uranium–235, an isotope of uranium. Nuclear energy, contrary to popular belief, does not
describe the horrible power of nuclear explosive, but the calculated, safe procedure of releasing the
fundamental power of the atom. The pros of nuclear energy firmly outweigh the cons of the issue. If
the people responsible for the facilities that the energy is produced in follow safety procedures the
cons are nearly reduced to nothing. Not only is it a completely green energy source, but the power
output is immense, and uranium is such a common material that is used so infrequently means that it
will last for an extremely long time. One of the major pros of nuclear energy, one that sets it apart
from other energy sources, is that it is a completely green energy source. Being green means that it's
carbon and greenhouse gas emissions are extremely low compared to other energy sources like coal
or oil. For example, when the author of "Nuclear Called A Lesser Evil Than Fossil

Chemistry: A Synthesis Essay
In order to study the radioactivity of thorium, Soddy and Rutherford preformed an experiment in
which ammonia was added to a solution of thorium and thorium hydroxide was precipitated out.
This observation eventually led to the discovery of the radioactive properties found within the
remaining solution. Both scientists then concluded that this was an outcome of a highly radioactive
compound known as thorium–X. Using these experimental observations, a series of detailed testing
was preformed regarding the radioactive behavior of the precipitate and remaining solution. Over
the course of a few weeks, it became evident that radioactive decay is an effect of a variety of
chemical reactions occurring inside the atom. Additional evidence that supported ... Show more
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The theory states that radioactivity is an atomic phenomenon, which occurs due to chemical changes
within the atom. During this spontaneous decay, a new element, known as the daughter element, is
formed with different properties from the original or parent substance. In addition to this formation,
alpha and beta particles are emitted from the nucleus of the parental compound. Respectively,
Rutherford and Soddy each received a Noble prize in the field of nuclear chemistry due to their
outstanding scientific findings. In 1908, Rutherford was awarded the Noble prize for his
investigations concerning the decay of elements and the chemistry of radioactive compounds.
Following this, Fredrick Soddy then received his prize in the year 1921 for his contributions to the
theory of the disintegration of radioactive substances and his research concerning isotopes. Through
their numerous experiments and efforts, Rutherford and Soddy had created a great advancement in
the scientific community. This theory was well adapted to society in which several advantageous
changes were made to benefit

Nuclear Power And Nuclear Energy
Nuclear power is one of the most controversial forms of energy in the modern world; the destructive
power of nuclear armaments has led to worldwide fear of nuclear energy. But as scientific
communities continue to learn more about nuclear power, as well as ways to make it more practical
in the competitive energy market, it may soon see an increase in its use in the United States.
Consequently, several major problems with nuclear energy need to be evaluated by the U.S., and
potential improvements to these issues recognized. First, a finite supply of fuel and a strong energy
market to compete with necessitate improvements to the efficiency of energy production in nuclear
plants. Subsequently, fuel that has been used in a reactor, now ... Show more content on
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Due to this high heat absorption, less of the energy produced in fission is lost, instead being
captured by the water and used to generate electricity. However, both of these methods have
limitations, and are not immediately implementable. Although "pyrometallurgical recycling
technology [. . .] has been successfully demonstrated on a pilot level in operating power plants," it is
not yet commercially usable, while Buongiorno is working to make nano–spiked water more stable,
as it "agglomerate[s] and settle[s] quickly if appropriate chemical and thermal conditions are not
carefully maintained" (Hannum et. al.; Halber). Though these methods are still in development, is is
probable that they will be refined until success, improving the efficiency of nuclear reactors enough
to combat the limited supply of fuel. Alternatively, some scientists are researching another fuel
source altogether: thorium. According to the Encyclopedia of Global Resources, thorium, an
element with similar properties to uranium, "has been considered as fuel for some [...] reactors, in
part because it is far more common than uranium," being approximately "3–4 times more abundant
than uranium" (Wiggins 833; Rhodes). Christopher J. Rhodes, author of over 180 scientific
publications on numerous topics, indicates that thorium has the benefits of

Nuclear Energy : An Untapped Potential
The potential nuclear energy holds in transforming into an immense force in the energy industry
contains an untapped potential as a leading giant of the industry. The processes of the creation of
nuclear energy stems from nuclear fission, the splitting of an atom into two, and nuclear fusion, the
combining of two atoms. The benefits of nuclear energy greatly surpass the drawbacks, far more
than one believes they do. Disasters due to nuclear power plants formed the conclusion of the
common people that nuclear energy impends the safety of the people therefore should not expand
itself, which ultimately led to excessive use of fossil fuels as an energy source. The benefits of using
nuclear energy consist of the increase of revenue brought in by both state and local governments,
possessing the trait of turning into a much cleaner alternative to current energy sources used such as
fossil fuels, and for the reliability nuclear energy provides to the industry. The economy will vastly
improve once nuclear energy enters the energy industry. The nuclear energy industry would
positively impact the economy in a vast amount of ways. For one, the economic benefits created by
nuclear energy includes the vast amount of jobs created by the industry. Nuclear plants would create
an approximate 400–700 permanent jobs and it would create another approximate 3,500 jobs just
from construction of the power plant
(Nuclear Plants Benefit State and Local Economy). The creation of these jobs would

The Pros And Cons Of Thorium
Although thorium nuclear fuel is not new technology, it is a newly appreciated resource. The reason
more effort was put into uranium previously is because, "A 1997 international scientific symposium
on nuclear fuel cycles concluded that the principal reason thorium had not been used more widely to
date is that the ore contains no fissile isotope." (Thorium Power, 2015, para. 9). A fissile isotope like
uranium–238 is more prone to sustaining nuclear chain reactions. Simply put, during the cold war,
uranium research aided in producing nuclear weapons as well as energy. Alternatively, thorium is
more of a fertile element, and it requires more effort to make it fissile, but it is possible. (Thorium
Power, 2015, para. 2). Thorium is more beneficial ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
7). Trudeau is aiming to: invest $100 million into clean energy companies, remove current subsidies
from fossil fuels and put them towards clean power, put $2 billion towards carbon reducing energy
projects, work with the private sector to encourage venture capitalism, and to increase taxes for
carbon producers while developing green energy. (Dinshaw, 2015, para. 6). In essence, the carbon
taxes will impact Alberta in its current state, but government support is available to help Alberta
pursue nuclear energy with the clean energy budget plans. Furthermore, having the Canadian
government encouraging the private sector to support clean energy with investments is a good
stepping–stone and a motivating factor for nuclear energy since high profits can be achieved with
nuclear

Marie Curie 's On The Discovery Of Radium
This source I decided to choose to write about is Marie Curie's "On the Discovery of Radium". This
was a firsthand account by Madame Marie Curie herself when she addressed Vasser College on May
14th 1921. Madame Curie, while discussing her past with the discovery of radium, could have
talked about the whole history of her experimentation, but broke it down to a very brief account. I
will have to say, that even though it was a short and brief writing, it took longer to read due to the
lack of my ability for me to understand what was being explained. However, Madame Curie was
able to briefly give a description of what the process was for her and her husband to discover
radium. This particular source would be considered a primary source because it is words from
Madame Curie and provides a detail of her work with radioactivity. Madame Curie stated at the
beginning of her address that she could talk for a while about radioactivity, but since there was little
time she made a brief explanation about her early work with radium. From there you get the
satisfaction that Madame Curie has from her work with radium. She almost, in her introduction,
gives radium somewhat of an identity by talking about how the mineral is no longer a baby and is
more than twenty years old. With that said it provides feelings from Madame Curie. She begins her
description of the events 24 years earlier back to 1897 while working with her husband, who she
refers to as Prof Curie. To provide the

Nuclear Power And Its Effects On The World
On October 24th, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said, "Climate Change is real!
Climate Change is caused by human activity! Climate Change is affecting all parts of the world."
Sanders speaks about the disruption of ecosystems, the dying of species, and the destruction of
earth's atmosphere. The creation of increased greenhouse gases caused by heavy reliance on fossil
fuel energy has disrupted Earth's equilibrium. Sanders calls for alternative energy in America;
hailing countries that have transformed their fossil fuel dependency. Nuclear power is a relevant
factor in alternative energy for policy–makers. In the 1950's, anticipation for nuclear energy was
very high, people thought that new advancements in nuclear energy would make electricity free.
Nuclear power was successfully implemented for commercial use in 1954 Russia. Since then a total
of 438 nuclear reactors were created around the world, including the United States, with 67 still
under construction. Nuclear power support has always waned throughout the years, reaching high
points of investment when oil prices skyrocketed in the 1970's. Nuclear power is praised for its
efficiency and minimal environmental impacts, however common misconceptions about the danger
of nuclear power/power plants, discredit nuclear energy as a better alternative to fossil fuels.
"The Soviet Union spent large sums of money constructing a successful nuclear power plant. The
first nuclear reactor that produced commercial

Thorium Chemistry
Introduction: Thorium is a radioactive, solid silvery metal prior to its melting point of melting point
of 3300°C. Thorium has an atomic number of 90, placing it two positions behind Uranium, on the
periodic table. This is one of the two rare radioactive metals (the other being Uranium) that can be
found in high quantities in the earth's crust with the majorly commercial mineral monazite, or it can
be rarely found naturally in its oxidized form. Pure thorium looks silvery white and is very delicate,
but will harden by the time it has reacted with the atmosphere, which takes several months. Once it
starts to react, it's outermost later will undergo a form of corrosion with the atmosphere, tarnishing it
black. History: The Swedish chemist, who's considered one of the founders of modern science, Jöns
Jacob Berzelius, discovered thorium on an island in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the 19th century, famous Austrian scientist, Carl Auer, created an incandescent gas mantle using
thorium oxide to coat the mantle so that it would have a light when you apply a flame/heat. You can
imagine how this came into extensive demand and use during this era, when electronic lighting
wasn't invented, but by the time the latter form of lighting was invented the sales for thorium oxide
coated mantles declined. There was also reason to believe that there were safety issues for those
involved in manufacturing the mantles due of thorium's radioactivity. However, you can still find
these lanterns in camping stores. Its oxide is applied to the mixtures in heat resistant ceramics,
because of its high melting point. It has more advantage, though, it has sufficient strength for
materials of construction as it's resistant to abrasion, oxidation, hot water, most acids, and dilute salt
solutions. Thorium is also applied as an alloying agent to improve magnesium's strength, which is
used for aircraft engines.

Persuasive Essay On Nuclear Energy
When I say nuclear energy, what comes to mind? An exciting new technology, with limitless
possibilities? The future of clean energy? Or events like Hiroshima, Chernobyl, and Three Mile
Island? Devastation and disasters, or a solution to climate change? I intend to cement the idea that
nuclear energy is the best solution to many of humanities present and future problems. Nuclear
energy, overall, saves lives, reduces carbon emissions, and could set into motion a new age of
innovation. Conversely, there are many negative, and defendable, viewpoints when talking about
nuclear energy. Accidents and disasters have been associated with nuclear energy, along with
radioactive waste, and, possibly worst of all, weaponization of reactor technology. However, with a
few simple explanations, I believe I can put nuclear energy in a good light once again. Since the
dawn of the science of atomic radiation, atomic change, and nuclear fission in 1895, humanity has
become well acquainted with nuclear energy. There are countless achievements in the fields of
science related to nuclear energy, such as the first working nuclear reactor, built in 1941, by Enrico
Fermi, underneath a football stadium. In 1955, nuclear reactor BORAX–III provided an entire city
with all of its energy needs after a disconnection of power lines from a nearby coal plant. Regardless
of such great accomplishments, many people associate nuclear energy with arguably the four worst
nuclear tragedies of all time; Chernobyl,

Thorium Argumentative Essay
Ever since the Industrial Revolution in the mid to late 1800's, the United States have used fossil
fuels to provide itself with energy. The increase in fossil fuel consumption and energy production
was and is the main cause of the United States' economic prosperity. The United States absolutely
needs it's high energy production if it seeks to remain a global power. However, in recent years there
has been growing debate on whether or not fossil fuels are the energy–producing fuel of the future.
Environmentalists cite increasing global temperatures and environmental damage as reasons to stop
using fossil fuels, whereas the pro–fossil fuel community cites loss of jobs and energy unreliability
as reasons to continue using fossil fuels. With the debate on fossil fuels raging on it is difficult for
the United States to choose ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Unlike uranium, thorium is much safer, energy efficient, and abundant (Halper). Thorium has little
to no risk of a nuclear meltdown because thorium needs to be paired with plutonium in order to
produce electricity, unlike uranium which simply needs itself. If a meltdown were to happen
engineers would simply separate the thorium from the plutonium to avoid any sort of disaster. More
importantly, one ton of thorium can produce the same amount of energy as 3 tons of uranium and
3,500,000 tons of coal (Halper). It is much more viable to have a thorium reactor in a city rather
than a traditional coal–fired plant due to this reason. Thorium can power a city much more
efficiently than coal because it can do so much more with so much less. The energy lost in
transmission will not be much of a problem in urban areas because of the population density in
cities. A thorium power plant will service 5,000 people per square mile for example, in an urban area
rather than 1,000 people per square mile in a suburban area. Since more energy is used much less
energy can be lost in

Argument Against Nuclear Energy Research
Imagine a world without electricity, there would be no computers, televisions, or easily accessible
light. With the ever increasing need for energy in our daily lives the importance for efficient
methods for generating energy is prominent. A widely used method for generating electricity is
through nuclear energy, which is not only a more environmentally friendly option compared to the
most common method through fossil fuels, but it also produces high amounts of electricity.
However, one of the main issues with using nuclear energy is the radioactive waste which takes long
periods of times to decay which is due to the fuel it uses, uranium. A technological innovation that
has recently been considered as a viable alternative fuel to uranium, ... Show more content on
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This occurs when there is a severe nuclear accident causing damage to the core which in turn causes
overheating causing severe damage due to the release of radioactive materials into the environment.
This is a major concern due to previous devastating incidents such as Chernobyl or Fukushima.
However, Thorium reactors completely solve against which was stated in a study done by SP's MAI
(2015) saying that a thorium nuclear reactor has no possibility of a meltdown like the Fukushima
reactor because thorium cannot sustain a nuclear chain reaction without priming, as a result of which
fission stops by default. A global concern that has been protected against by treaties such as the
Non–Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the concern of nuclear weapons. Traditional Uranium Reactors
that run on the Uranium–Plutonium, U–Pu, cycle have a problem with the Plutonium that is
produced which can easily be separated from the radioactive waste which could then be used to
create nuclear bombs. Since Thorium reactors do not produce any Plutonium they avoid the problem
of by–products being used to create nuclear weapons. In the imminent future the world's energy
needs must be fulfilled somehow, but with so many disadvantages to more common energy sources
such as fossil fuels the obvious alternative is nuclear energy. However, the traditional Uranium
reactor won't do, Thorium reactors with all the various advantages over the glaring deficiencies of
Uranium reactors. With Thorium reactors being able to be safer by having less toxic waste or
preventing against the creation of nuclear weapons, Thorium reactors are a promising energy source
for the

Thorium : The Forgotten Nuclear Fuel
Thorium: The Forgotten Nuclear Fuel Thorium has long been the subject of scientific research ever
since its discovery, and now it appears that this obscure element may now be the energy source
which could fuel humanity for generations to come. While thorium has a complicated history, the
element remains very important to humanity for many reasons. Discovered about the same time as
uranium in the 19th century, thorium has been well known to the scientific community for many
years (World Nuclear Association). In fact, famous scientists like Marie Curie and Ernest Rutherford
worked with the element in several experiments when nuclear decay was first being discovered.
Since that time, however, thorium has largely been thrown by the wayside for use in practical
applications such as energy production in favor of neighboring elements uranium and plutonium.
Things are starting to turn around for thorium though, as people are beginning to realize that
thorium power offers cleaner, more powerful, and safer energy than anything humanity has ever
known before, and they beginning to take action to make thorium more widely known as an
important prospective energy source. Thorium is a silvery radioactive metal which was discovered
in 1828 and is a relatively common in nature. According to the World Nuclear Association, thorium
is about three times more abundant than Uranium; an average average soil contains about 3ppm
thorium, making the element about as common as lead. In nature

Nuclear Power Plant With A Footprint Of One Square Mile

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