Phys-L list of nuclear energy topics sorted according to
A, D, and Q. USE THIS THREAD TO ADD SHORT ITEMS
ONLY. USE A PARALLEL THREAD TO DISCUSS THEM.
ADVANTAGES
**************
A1) No production of CO2.
A2) Large supplies of fuel are available.
A3) Volume of nuclear waste is relatively small.
DISADVANTAGES
*****************
D1) Accumulation of long-lived radioactive waste.
D2) Production of Pu which can be used to build weapons.
D3) Possibility of highly devastating accidents, like
Chernobyl, or worse.
D4) Costly fuel enrichment process.
QUESTIONS
***********
Q1) Should nuclear technology topics be part of general physics?
Q2) What is wrong with breeding fuels (Pu-239 from common U
or U-233 from common Th)?
Q3) Why is the "nuclear waste-burning" technology not fully
supported at present time?
Q4) How many Yucca Mountains would be needed if 100%
of electricity were nuclear, all over the world?
Q5) Why do we need nuclear energy?
Q6) What are the real costs of the fossil-fuels option?
Q7) Which of many energy options are worth supporting
and why?
Q8) Is global warming due mainly to human activities or is
it only propaganda used to justify nuclear technology?
PLEASE USE THIS THREAD TO ADD SHORT ITEMS
TO THE ABOVE LIST; USE A PARALLEL THREAD
TO DISCUSS THEM (AS WE RECENTLY DID TO
ARGUE ABOUT YUCCA MOUNTAIN).
Ludwik Kowalski