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Use atomic energy for a new, clear world
Published on Tue, Dec 04, 2007 at 18:23 in Sci-Tech section
Tags: Atomic Energy, Nuclear Fission , New Delhi
N-ENERGY FOR A GREENER FUTURE: Though still five decades away, nuclear fusion is inevitable.
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New Delhi: We all know atomic energy has a great deal of importance to our country. But to know exactly how important it is, we need to what it is, and how it is produced.
To begin with, atomic energy is harnessed through a process called nuclear fission.
Simply put, the process of fission involves slamming a neutron into a group of atoms and starting a chain reaction. The neutron hits the nucleus, the center of an atom, and splits it into fragments, which then hit other nucleii.
Nuclear reactors sustain this reaction, and produce energy 10,000 times more efficiently than fossil fuels.
And yet, while atomic energy is a major source of energy in France and Japan, in India, it still provides only 5 per cent. So why is it such a big deal?
The answer is simple. In addition to it's capacity for power, atomic energy's potential role in military defence is incalculable.
It is argued, that while peace is of essence, no country can feel completely safe unless it is nuclear capable.
But ponder upon this. If the nuclear weapons in the world were to go off by accident, they would destroy the world a few hundred times over. But as a species known for our knack for survival, a nuclear war is not really anywhere on the horizon.
However, the future of atomic energy, definitely is and the future is fusion. Fusion is what fuels the sun. It uses non-radioactive, commmon hydrogen, accelerates the atoms and fuses them together, producing pure energy, which is a million times more efficient than fission and with no residual waste.
A single bucket of water can fulfill all the energy needs of an individual for life.
Though still five decades away, nuclear fusion, and a greener tomorrow is inevitable.
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