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Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is the energy released from the atomic nucleus. Nuclear Energy is capable of producing Nuclear Power. Nuclear Power is the controlled use of nuclear reactions to release energy for work including, heat, and the generation of electricity. Human use of nuclear power to do significant useful work is currently limited to nuclear fission and radioactive decay. Nuclear energy is produced when a fissile material, such as uranium-235 is concentrated such that nuclear fission takes place in a controlled chain reaction and creates heat — which is used to boil water, produce steam, and drive a steam turbine. The turbine can be used for mechanical work and also to generate electricity. Nuclear power is used to power most military submarines and aircraft carriers and provides 7% of the world's energy and 15.7% of the world's electricity. The United States produces the most nuclear energy, with nuclear power providing 20% of the electricity it consumes, while France produces the highest percentage of its energy from nuclear reactors—80% as of 2006. Nuclear energy uses an abundant, widely distributed fuel, and mitigates the greenhouse effect if used to replace fossil-fuel-derived electricity. International research is ongoing into various safety improvements, the use of nuclear fusion. Construction of nuclear power plants declined following the 1979 Three Mile Island accident and the 1986 disaster at Chernobyl. Lately, there has been renewed interest in nuclear energy from national governments, the public, and some notable environmentalists due to increased oil prices, and the low emission rate of greenhouse gas. A few reactors are under construction, and several new types of reactors are planned. The use of nuclear power is controversial because of the possibility that its use in some countries could lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Critics, including most major environmental groups believe nuclear power is an uneconomic, unsound and potentially dangerous energy source, especially compared to renewable energy, and dispute whether the costs and risks can be reduced through new technology. There is concern in some countries over North Korea and Iran operating research reactors and fuel enrichment plants, since those countries refuse adequate IAEA oversight and are believed to be trying to develop nuclear weapons. The first successful experiment with nuclear fission was conducted in 1938 in Berlin by the German physicists Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann. Electricity was generated for the first time by a nuclear reactor on December 20, 1951 which initially produced about 100 kW.
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