It's Scary.It's Expensive.It Could Save the Earth.

The United States has 103 nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants use fission to make heat which makes electricity. Electricity is used to power light bulbs, microwaves, TVs, and more.

Nuclear Power Plant

Lightbulbs

MicrowavesTVs

There are good and bad things about nuclear power plants. James Tulenko says "they deliver electricity more cheaply than gas or coal plants." That is not the whole story though. 27 years ago, the plan to make a lot of nuclear power plants didn't work. Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to create heat. That heat turns into steam which then makes electricity. This is good because Nuclear power plants don't give out any greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases hurt the atmosphere and makes the earth hotter.

Nuclear power plants have had accidents in the past. Accidents in nuclear power plants have happened in the United States, Japan, and Germany. The way electricity is made through nuclear fission makes lots of nuclear waste. Waste is bad for plants, air, and people. Another bad part of nuclear power plants is the large cost of building them. Nuclear power plants are the best at making plutonium fuel used to make electricity. They just need to be careful because that nuclear fuel can be used to create powerful weapons.

Fission: when the middle of an atom splits. This makes lots of energy.

Do you think Nuclear power plants are good or bad?

Question:

Fission: when the middle of an atom splits. This makes lots of energy.

bad

Nuclear Power Plants

Pros Cons

Accidents

Nuclear waste

Directions: Click and drag each fact about nuclear power plants below into the pros or cons list. A "pro" is something that is good. A "con" is something that is bad.

Cheaper than gas or coal

Costs a lot to build

Could be used for weaponsBetter at making plutonium

Gives no greenhouse gas

Nuclear power plants failed before