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= = =Nuclear Power=

__Around the World__

Nuclear power is the worlds greatest and biggest source of emmision-free electricity. It provides the world with about 17% of its power, and provides the United States with 20% of its power. In total, there are more than 400 nuclear power plants around the world. Though some countries depend more on nuclear power than others, it is proving itself to be a efficiant and effective way to get electricity and power.

__What is Nuclear Power?__ Nuclear power is based on nuclear fission. The probability of a U-235 atom capturing a neutron as it passes by is fairly high. In a reactor working properly one neutron released from each fission causes another fission to occur. An amazing amount of energy is released, in the form of heat and gamma radiation, when just one atom splits. The two atoms that result from the fission later each release beta radiation and gamma radiation as well. In a nuclear power plant, enriched uranium is gathered in the same size bundles and put through a long and intense process. The uranium bundle acts as an extremely high energy source of heat. It heats up the water and turns it to steam. The steam drives a steam turbine, which spins a generator to produce power.

__Why Choose Nuclear Power?__

There are many reasons people choose nuclear power over other power options. They create no air poulutants or green house gasses. It helps to keep the air clean, the environment safe, the ground-level ozone to form, and to prevent acid rain. It provides another option to foreign oil. This way, if and when the oil supply runs out, we will have a strong and environmentally friendly backup plan.

__Damages of Nuclear Power__

The principal risk associated with nuclear power arise from health effects of radiation. Radiation consists of subatomic particles at or near the velocity of light. These particles penetrate deep inside the human body and can damage biological cells and cause cancer. Though at frist it may seem very dangerous to work around, it is not as dangerous as it seems. This is because the probability of a particle of radiation entering the human body and causing cancer is only a chance of 1 in 30 million.

Bibliography 1. [|www.nuclearnow.org] 2. science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm 3.www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/np-risk.htm