There is widespread popular support for using renewable energy, particularly solar and wind energy, which provide electricity without giving rise to any carbon dioxide emissions.
Harnessing these for electricity depends on the cost and efficiency of the technology, which is constantly improving, thus reducing costs per peak kilowatt, and per kWh.
Utilising electricity from solar and wind in a grid becomes problematical at high levels for complex but now well-demonstrated reasons. Supply does not correspond with demand.
Back-up generating capacity is required due to the intermittent nature of solar and wind. System costs escalate with increasing proportion of variable renewables.
Policy settings to support renewables are generally required to confer priority in grid systems and also subsidise them, and some 50 countries have these provisions.
Utilising solar and wind-generated electricity in a stand-alone system requires corresponding battery or other storage capacity.
The possibility of large-scale use of hydrogen in the future as a transport fuel increases the potential for both renewables and base-load electricity supply.
On May 3, 2016, renewable energy expert Professor Daniel Kammen of the University of California Berkeley debated nuclear power advocate Lauri Muranen, executive director of the World Energy Council, Finland, on the question: "Is nuclear power the answer to climate change?" The event, part of the Einaudi Center's annual Lund Critical Debate Series, was moderated by Cornell law and anthropology professor Annelise Riles.
Understanding the accident of Fukushima Daiichi
88,000 tons of radioactive waste – and nowhere to put it
The Eyes of Nye S01 E05 Nuclear Energy
Is Nuclear Power Good Or Bad?
How fear of nuclear power is hurting the environment
Ex 5D, p.221-222 Bohr Model of Hydrogen Atom (last week)
Ex 5E, p.228-230 Bohr Energy Levels
Activity 12B, p.199-200 Nuclear Reactions
Ex 5F, p.234-236 Mass-Energy
Ex 5G, p.242-246 E = mc^2
Revision for the Atomic & Nuclear Assessment Week 7
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear Fission; splitting the atom for beginners
Nuclear Physics: Crash Course Physics #45
Nuclear Chemistry: Crash Course Chemistry #38
Nuclear Chemistry Part 2: Fusion and Fission - Crash Course Chemistry #39
Nuclear Fission
The breaking up of a larger nucleus into smaller nuclei
The decrease in mass per nucleon, matches the increase in binding energu per nucleon
This binding energy per nucleon is a negative energy and represents energy that is lost (radiated away) during the reaction.
Binding energy per nucleon also represents the energy that would need to be added to liberate a nucleon from the nucleus
Nuclear Fission
Fission & Fusion
Nuclear Fusion
The joining of smaller nuclei into a larger nucleus
The decrease in mass per nucleon, matches the increase in binding energu per nucleon
This binding energy per nucleon is a negative energy and represents energy that is lost (radiated away) during the reaction.
Binding energy per nucleon also represents the energy that would need to be added to liberate a nucleon from the nucleus
Nuclear Fusion
Fusion Energy
Binding Energy per Nucleon
Nuclear Reaction E = mc2
Nuclear Chemistry Part 1
Binding Energy per Nucleon
Binding Energy per Nucleon is a negative energy or a debt of energy. This is the amount of energy it would take to liberate a nucleon from the nucleus. This energy was originally radiated off when the nucleus formed. The energy radiated off, the Binding energy, is lost energy and comes from mass that is lost by the nucleons. Mass per Nucleon shows what is left over once a bound nucleon has radiated away some of its mass.
Fission:The breaking up of a larger nucleus into smaller daughter nuclei. Anything above Iron will radiate off energy.
Fusion: The joining of smaller nuclei into a larger nucleus. Anything below Iron will radiate off energy.
