2007-03-21 00:51:53 · 3 answers · asked by Tara T 2 in Environment
The answer right now is, not really. There are a couple of problems.
Our ability to reclaim the byproducts of fission are limited. Ultimately, we end up with a small amount of material (which is still radioactive) that we can't just feed back into the reactor to make more power. There's no real reason for this...it's a problem that we just have not figured out how to resolve technically. My biggest concern is that our currrent education system has the best and brightest working on their MBAs instead of on this problem.
On a literal level, fission is using up big atoms. Presumably, taken to the extreme, you could "use up" all the appropriate fuel on the planet. As a practical matter this would take (approximately) forever. But, this is part of what makes the idea of fusion power seem so appealing. Hydrogen is far more common in the universe than uranium.
2007-03-21 01:33:15 · answer #1 · answered by David G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuclear energy is derived from the ore of uranium which is called Yellowcake.
This subsance is removed from the earth and processed to allow it to be fed into nuclear reactors.
This subsance is, like crude oil, a completely and utterly non-renewable resource. There are limited amounts of both uranium ore and oil on the plant, so I think it's about time we started using a really renewable source such as wind, solar, hydro (using the power of water), biofuels such as ethanol (altho there'd be issues with quantity required for domestic power use and the amount of land available for the crops) or tidal power.
I'm not sure where the two folk above think the raw materials come from!
The other thing about uranium mines is they leave a very large hole in the ground and are often the site of some pretty chronic, long term pollution. Do a search on Rum Jungle in the Northern Territory of Australia for an example of what I'm talking about.
Recent community opposition stopped another mine in the Northern Territory too. Check out "Jabiluka" if you're really interested in all this stuff about nuclear energy.
Love and Light,
Jarrah
2007-03-21 02:14:13 · answer #2 · answered by jarrah_fortytwo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes the products of nuclear fission reactions are energy and radioactive elements
these can again be used as nuclear fuels after some nuclear bombardments
2007-03-21 01:07:38 · answer #3 · answered by Sedash 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋