NUCLEAR ENERGY AS AN ALTERNATE AND ULTIMATE SOURCE OF ENERGY

Sun is the ultimate source of all forms of energy in our planet. All living organisms get energy from sun directly or indirectly. But the energy in sun is nothing but a nuclear energy as hydrogen changes to helium through nuclear reactions. The energy released by reactions within atomic nuclei, such as nuclear fission or nuclear fusion is called nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is energy released from the atomic nucleus. The conversion of nuclear mass to energy is consistent with Albert Einstein's formula E=mc² in which E = Energy, m = Mass, and c = Speed of light (a physical constant)

Recent studeies on Nuclear Energy:

• Nuclear Power Not Efficient Enough To Replace Fossil Fuels, Study Finds: Nuclear energy must increase by more than 10% each year from 2010 to 2050 to meet all future energy demands and replace fossil fuels, but this is an unsustainable prospect. According to a new report such a large growth rate will require a major improvement in nuclear power efficiency otherwise each new power plant will simply cannibalize the energy produced by earlier nuclear power plants.[1]
• Questioning Nuclear Power's Ability To Forestall Global Warming: Rising energy and environmental costs may prevent nuclear power from being a sustainable alternative energy source in the fight against global warming, according to a new study.[2]
• Nuclear Power: Most Successful Fuel Performance Ever For US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel: Advanced gas reactors offer more efficient operation, less waste disposal and other benefits over water-cooled reactor designs used in U.S. nuclear power plants. But creating fuel that burns efficiently and reliably in the higher temperatures of advanced gas reactors has been a challenge -- until now. Fuel fabricated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in cooperation with Idaho National Laboratory and the Babcock & Wilcox Company, has demonstrated the most successful performance ever for U.S. advanced gas reactor fuel.[3]
• Historic Soviet Nuclear Test Site Offers Insights For Today's Nuclear Monitoring: Newly published data from the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, the Soviet Union's primary nuclear weapons testing ground during the Cold War, can help today's atomic detectives fine-tune their monitoring of nuclear explosions around the world, according to new research. The treasure trove of data from Semipalatinsk are especially important in light of the fact that only three nuclear tests -- back-to-back tests in India and Pakistan in 1998 and a 2006 test in North Korea -- have been conducted since the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1996.[4]
• Measuring 'Inaudible' Sounds To Detect Illegal Nuclear Tests, And Analyze Atmosphere: By measuring 'inaudible' sounds, events like illegal nuclear tests can be detected. This 'infrasound' can also help us understand more about the upper atmosphere, according to new research.[5]
• Nuclear Fuel Performance Milestone Achieved: The research to improve the performance of coated-particle nuclear fuel met an important milestone by reaching a burnup of 9 percent without any fuel failure. The research is key in supporting reactor licensing and operation for high-temperature reactors such as the Next Generation Nuclear Plant and similar reactors envisioned for subsequent commercial energy production.[6]
• Nuclear Shortcuts Exposed In U.S. Nuclear Fuel Facility: US regulators have ignored expert safety advice in an attempt to cut corners and fast track the completion of a $4 billion nuclear fuel facility currently under construction near Aiken, South Carolina. The accusation is reported in The Chemical Engineer magazine, published by the Institution of Chemical Engineers.[7]
  
  Production
  Changes can occur in the structure of the nuclei of atoms. These changes are called nuclear reactions. Energy created in a nuclear reaction is called nuclear energy, or atomic energy. Nuclear energy is produced naturally and in man-made operations under human control. Naturally: Some nuclear energy is produced naturally. For example, the Sun and other stars make heat and light by nuclear reactions. Man-Made: Nuclear energy can be man-made too. Machines called nuclear reactors, parts of nuclear power plants, provide electricity for many cities. Man-made nuclear reactions also occur in the explosion of atomic and hydrogen bombs.
  Nuclear energy is produced in two different ways, in one, large nuclei are split to release energy. In the other method, small nuclei are combined to release energy.
  In nuclear fission, the nuclei of atoms are split, causing energy to be released. The atomic bomb and nuclear reactors work by fission. The element uranium is the main fuel used to undergo nuclear fission to produce energy since it has many favorable properties. Uranium nuclei can be easily split by shooting neutrons at them. Also, once a uranium nucleus is split, multiple neutrons are released which are used to split other uranium nuclei. This phenomenon is known as a chain reaction.
  Fission of uranium 235 nucleus. Adapted from Nuclear Energy. Nuclear Waste*.
  Nuclear Fusion: In nuclear fusion, the nuclei of atoms are joined together, or fused. This happens only under very hot conditions. The Sun, like all other stars, creates heat and light through nuclear fusion. In the Sun, hydrogen nuclei fuse to make helium. The hydrogen bomb, humanity's most powerful and destructive weapon, also works by fusion. The heat required to start the fusion reaction is so great that an atomic bomb is used to provide it. Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium and in the process release huge amounts of energy thus producing a huge explosion.
  Milestones in the History of Nuclear Energy
  December 2, 1942: The Nuclear Age began at the University of Chicago when Enrico Fermi made a chain reaction in a pile of uranium.
  .August 6, 1945: The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing over 100,000. August 9, 1945: The United States dropped and atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, killing over 40,000. November 1, 1952: The first large version of the hydrogen bomb (thousands of times more powerful than the atomic bomb) was exploded by the United States for testing purposes. February 21, 1956: The first major nuclear power plant opened in England.
  
  Advantages of Nuclear Energy
  The Earth has limited supplies of coal and oil. Nuclear power plants could still produce electricity after coal and oil become scarce.
  Nuclear power plants need less fuel than ones which burn fossil fuels. One ton of uranium produces more energy than is produced by several million tons of coal or several million barrels of oil.
  Coal and oil burning plants pollute the air. Well-operated nuclear power plants do not release contaminants into the environment.
  Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy
  The nations of the world now have more than enough nuclear bombs to kill every person on Earth. The two most powerful nations -- Russia and the United States -- have about 50,000 nuclear weapons between them. What if there were to be a nuclear war? What if terrorists got their hands on nuclear weapons? Or what if nuclear weapons were launched by accident?
  Nuclear explosions produce radiation. The nuclear radiation harms the cells of the body which can make people sick or even kill them. Illness can strike people years after their exposure to nuclear radiation. One possible type of reactor disaster is known as a meltdown. In such an accident, the fission reaction goes out of control, leading to a nuclear explosion and the emission of great amounts of radiation. In 1979, the cooling system failed at the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Radiation leaked, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee. The problem was solved minutes before a total meltdown would have occurred. Fortunately, there were no deaths. In 1986, a much worse disaster struck Russia's Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In this incident, a large amount of radiation escaped from the reactor. Hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to the radiation. Several dozen died within a few days. In the years to come, thousands more may die of cancers induced by the radiation.
  Nuclear reactors also have waste disposal problems. Reactors produce nuclear waste products which emit dangerous radiation. Because they could kill people who touch them, they cannot be thrown away like ordinary garbage. Currently, many nuclear wastes are stored in special cooling pools at the nuclear reactors. The United States plans to move its nuclear waste to a remote underground dump by the year 2010. In 1957, at a dump site in Russia's Ural Mountains, several hundred miles from Moscow, buried nuclear wastes mysteriously exploded, killing dozens of people. Nuclear reactors only last for about forty to fifty years.
  The Future of Nuclear Energy
  Some people think that nuclear energy is here to stay and we must learn to live with it. Others say that we should get rid of all nuclear weapons and power plants. Both sides have their cases as there are advantages and disadvantages to nuclear energy. Still others have opinions that fall somewhere in between.What do you think we should do? After reviewing the pros and cons, it is up to you to formulate your own opinion. Read more about the politics of the issues or go to the forum to share your own opinions and see what others think.
  Conclusion
  From the scientific evidences the utility of Nuclear energy unavoidable. If people will take keen interest on this research field, then future development in nuclear plant can fulfill our demand.
  

Reference

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B.S.Argawal, Nuclear Physics, Alok Publication.
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Theoretical Nuclear Physics by John M. Blatt
Theoretical Nuclear Physics by Victor F. Weisskopf
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Anison G et al. (UA1 Collaboration). Phys. Lett. B, 1986, 177: 244