Asked by Jordan Huggins on May 29, 2024
Verified
What is the environmental impact of the fuel cycle of nuclear plants compared to the fuel cycle for coal that is used to produce electricity?
A) The nuclear plant fuel cycle causes more deaths than the coal fuel cycle.
B) The nuclear plant fuel cycle causes more air pollution than the coal fuel cycle.
C) The nuclear plant fuel cycle causes more water pollution than the coal fuel cycle.
D) The nuclear plant fuel cycle causes less land disruption than the coal fuel cycle.
Fuel Cycle
The series of steps involved in supplying fuel for power generation, including extraction, processing, use, and disposal or recycling.
Nuclear Plants
Facilities where nuclear fission reactions are managed to produce heat for electricity generation, utilizing uranium or other nuclear fuels.
- Determine the varieties and features of coal along with their consequences for the environment.
- Absorb the core information on nuclear energy, particularly the safety protocols, accident cases, and the fuel cycle's development.
Verified Answer
SR
Sarina RozekJun 04, 2024
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
The fuel cycle for nuclear plants causes less land disruption compared to the fuel cycle for coal. Coal mining involves large-scale excavation and removal of topsoil, which can lead to soil erosion, habitat destruction, and landscape alteration. On the other hand, nuclear fuel can be mined from relatively small areas and stored on-site, resulting in less land disruption. While the nuclear fuel cycle does have its own environmental implications, such as water pollution from uranium mining and potential accidents at nuclear plants, when comparing the fuel cycle of nuclear plants to that of coal, land disruption is a key differentiator.
Learning Objectives
- Determine the varieties and features of coal along with their consequences for the environment.
- Absorb the core information on nuclear energy, particularly the safety protocols, accident cases, and the fuel cycle's development.