What is your opinion on nuclear energy?

61 percent favor nuclear energy, and 26 percent are opposed; while many people take middle positions, those who strongly favor nuclear outnumber those who strongly oppose it by 27 percent to 8 percent. 55 percent agree that more nuclear power plants should definitely be built in the future; 31 percent disagree.

Why should we go nuclear?

Advantages of Nuclear Energy Nuclear is the largest source of clean power in the United States. It generates nearly 800 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year and produces more than half of the nation’s emissions-free electricity.

What are some uses of nuclear energy?

Other Uses of Nuclear Technology

• Agriculture and Food. In many parts of the world, agricultural workers use radiation to prevent harmful insects from reproducing.
• Medical. Nuclear technologies provide images inside the human body and can help to treat disease.
• Space Exploration.
• Water Desalination.

Why is nuclear energy the future?

Nuclear power releases less radiation into the environment than any other major energy source. Second, nuclear power plants operate at much higher capacity factors than renewable energy sources or fossil fuels. Third, nuclear power releases less radiation into the environment than any other major energy source.

How does a nuclear power plant work?

Unlike a traditional coal-burning power plant, a nuclear power plant uses the energy, or heat, produced by the fission of Uranium, rather than the burning of coal, to heat water into the steam required to turn the turbines that power electric generators.

Is the US government involved in nuclear power?

US Nuclear Power Policy. (Updated March 2019) While the USA has more private sector participation in the production of civilian nuclear power than any other nation, the government is heavily involved through safety and environmental regulations, R&D funding, and setting national energy goals.

What is the current public opinion on nuclear energy?

Over the last 30 years public opinion has steadily grown more positive towards nuclear energy. Government policy is central to any discussion of nuclear power in the USA. The development of nuclear power began as a government program in 1945 following on from the Manhattan Project to develop the wartime atomic bomb.

How is nuclear energy produced from an atom?

Nuclear energy is produced when an atom’s nucleus is split into smaller nuclei by the process called fission. The fission of large atoms, such as Uranium 235 and Plutonium 239, produces a great deal of energy. In fact, the fission of 1 gram of Uranium 235 produces the same amount of