Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: John Maxwell Irvine
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199584974
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks.

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: John Maxwell Irvine
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199584974
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Get Book

Book Description
Following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks.

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Maxwell Irvine
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191620319
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
With the World desperate to find energy sources that do not emit carbon gasses, nuclear power is back on the agenda and in the news, following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks. Here, Maxwell Irvine presents a concise introduction to the development of nuclear physics leading up to the emergence of the nuclear power industry. He discusses the nature of nuclear energy and deals with various aspects of public concern, considering the risks of nuclear safety, the cost of its development, and waste disposal. Dispelling some of the widespread confusion about nuclear energy, Irvine considers the relevance of nuclear power, the potential of nuclear fusion, and encourages informed debate about its potential. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Radioactivity: A Very Short Introduction

Radioactivity: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Claudio Tuniz
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191633984
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
You cannot hide from radioactivity. Even the book you are holding is slightly radioactive, but there are more serious risks. Radioactivity - the breakdown of unstable atomic nuclei, releasing radiation - is a fundamental process in nature. It is a process that has been harnessed to provide wide and important applications in science, medicine, industry, and energy production. But it remains much misunderstood - and feared, perhaps because nuclear radiation cannot be detected by human senses, and can undoubtedly do great harm if appropriate precautions are not taken. In recent times there have been increasing concerns about nuclear terrorism. The traces of radioactive atoms in rocks have allowed us to understand the nature and history of the Earth, in particular to date events in that history. Radioactive dating has been used for a variety of purposes, from determining the age of the first hominids to the dating of the Turin Shroud. The discovery of radioactivity has improved our survival kit, but also gave us the chance to reach a new level of awareness on the history of our species and its environmental impacts. In this Very Short Introduction, Claudio Tuniz explains the nature of radioactivity and discuss its role in nature. Describing radioactivity in the stars and in the Earth, he also looks at its wide range of applications in biomedicine and in science, as well as the mechanisms of nuclear fission and fusion, and the harnessing of nuclear power. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Nuclear Power Explained

Nuclear Power Explained PDF Author: Dirk Eidemüller
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030726703
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 317

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Book Description
From World War II to the present day, nuclear power has remained a controversial topic in the public eye. In the wake of ongoing debates about energy and the environment, policymakers and laypeople alike are once more asking the questions posed by countless others over the decades: What actually happens in a nuclear power plant? Can we truly trust nuclear energy to be safe and reliable? Where does all that radiation and waste go? This book explains everything you would want to know about nuclear power in a compelling and accessible way. Split into three parts, it walks readers through the basics of nuclear physics and radioactivity; the history of nuclear power usage, including the most important events and disasters; the science and engineering behind nuclear power plants; the politics and policies of various nations; and finally, the long-term societal impact of such technology, from uranium mining and proliferation to final disposal. Featured along the way are dozens of behind-the-scenes, full-color images of nuclear facilities. Written in a nontechnical style with minimal equations, this book will appeal to lay readers, policymakers and professionals looking to acquire a well-rounded view about this complex subject.

Why We Need Nuclear Power

Why We Need Nuclear Power PDF Author: Michael H. Fox
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199344574
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
"Makes a case for nuclear energy as a clean-energy solution."--

Energy Systems

Energy Systems PDF Author: Nick Jenkins
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198813929
Category : BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Modern societies require energy systems to provide energy for cooking, heating, transport, and materials processing, as well as for electricity generation. Energy systems include the primary fuel, its conversion, and transport to the point of use. In many cases this primary fuel is still a fossil fuel, a one-use resource derived from a finite supply within our planet, causing considerable damage to the environment. After 300 years of increasing reliance on fossil fuels, particularly coal, it is becoming ever clearer that the present energy systems need to change. In this Very Short Introduction Nick Jenkins explores our historic investment in the exploitation of fossil energy resources and their current importance, and discusses the implications of our increasing rate of energy use. He considers the widespread acceptance by scientists and policy makers that our energy systems must reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and looks forward to the radical changes in fuel technology that will be necessary to continue to provide energy supplies in a sustainable manner, and extend access across the developing world. Considering the impact of changing to an environmentally benign and low-carbon energy system, Jenkins also looks at future low-carbon energy systems which would use electricity from a variety of renewable energy sources, as well as the role of nuclear power in our energy use. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Joseph M. Siracusa
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191578827
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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Book Description
Despite not having been used in anger since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Bomb is still the biggest threat that faces us in the 21st century. As Bill Clinton's first secretary of defence, Les Aspin, aptly put it: 'The Cold War is over, the Soviet Union is no more. But the post-Cold War world is decidedly not post-nuclear'. For all the effort to reduce nuclear stockpiles to zero, it seems that the Bomb is here to stay. This Very Short Introduction reveals why. The history, and politics of the bomb are explained: from the technology of nuclear weapons, to the revolutionary implications of the H-bomb, and the politics of nuclear deterrence. The issues are set against a backdrop of the changing international landscape, from the early days of development, through the Cold War, to the present-day controversy of George W. Bush's National Missile Defence, and the threat and role of nuclear weapons in the so-called Age of Terror. Joseph M. Siracusa provides a comprehensive, accessible, and at times chilling overview of the most deadly weapon ever invented. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer

Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer PDF Author: Helen Caldicott
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
ISBN: 1458721248
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 330

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Book Description
The world-renowned antinuclear activist's expertly argued(The Guardian) case against nuclear energy. In a world torn apart by wars over oil, politicians have increasingly begun to look for alternative energy sources and their leading choice is nuclear energy. Among the myths that have been spread over the years about nuclear-powered electricity are that it does not cause global warming or pollution, that it is inexpensive, and that it is safe. Helen Caldicott's look at the actual costs and environmental consequences of nuclear energy belies the incessant barrage of nuclear industry propaganda. Caldicott reveals truths, Martin Sheen has said, that confirm we must take positive action now if we are to make a difference. In fact, nuclear power contributes to global warming; the true cost of nuclear power is prohibitive, with taxpayers picking up most of the tab; there's simply not enough uranium in the world to sustain nuclear power over the long term; and the potential for a catastrophic accident or a terrorist attack far outweighs any benefits. Concluding chapters detail alternative sustainable energy sources that are the key to a clean, green future.

Nuclear Physics: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Physics: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Frank Close
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191028738
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
Nuclear physics began long before the identification of fundamental particles, with J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron at the end of the 19th century, which implied the existence of a positive charge in the atom to make it neutral. In this Very Short Introduction Frank Close gives an account of how this area of physics has progressed, including the recognition of how heavy nuclei are built up in the cores of stars and in supernovae, the identification of quarks and gluons, and the development of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Exploring key concepts such as the stability of different configurations of protons and neutrons in nuclei, Frank Close shows how nuclear physics brings the physics of the stars to Earth and provides us with important applications, particularly in medicine. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear Weapons PDF Author: Joseph M. Siracusa
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198727232
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 153

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Book Description
Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing international landscape, this Very Short Introduction explores both the history and politics of nuclear weapons. In this new edition, Joseph M. Siracusa includes a new concluding chapter, highlighting the significant lessons to be learnt from the history of the nuclear weapons era.