Energy Sources: Energy Source Fuel (Coal)/Uranium Needed

¶ … Energy Sources:

Energy Source

Fuel (Coal)/Uranium Needed (tons)

CO2 Emissions

Sulfur Dioxide and Other Emissions (tons)

Radioactivity mSv (millisievert)

Solid Waste (tons)

Accidents

Coal

Increased global warming and health effects.

Nuclear

Explosions

Coal power plants and nuclear power plants are currently the two basic sources of electricity generation across the globe. The purpose of this lab animation and report is to evaluate which of these sources of energy is better for human sustainability. The determination of the more efficient of these two energy sources is based on the data provided above and further research.

The generation of electricity is the leading industrial activity that produces air and gases emissions across the globe. This process is usually carried in several power plants that use different sources of energy. Generally, a huge percentage of the world's electrical power is produced through the use of non-renewable energy sources like coal and uranium (Matthews, n.d.). In the past few years, coal or fossil fuel-fired power plants have developed to become the leading sources of electricity generation. However, as coal power plants have been associated with several negative impacts, especially global warming, nuclear power plants are considered as more efficient sources of energy. Actually, the public has become increasingly concerned with the radiation releases, accidents, and waste from power plants. Even though each material used in electricity generation has been associated with long-term and productive history of powering electrical plants, they generate environmental effects that challenge easy comparison.

The increase in global warming and its effects on the ecosystem has fueled concerns regarding the more efficient energy source of the two for human sustainability. In this case, the activity is considered sustainable if it does not harm the long-term quality or replenishment of important resources. Furthermore, a sustainable energy source does not transfer problems to other locations or conceal them through collateral damage or misrepresentation of casualties (Kyler, 2013).

As evident in the lab report, the use of coal power plants is seemingly the least efficient energy source of the two. The process is associated with high emissions of greenhouse gases that result in climate change and increased radioactivity. These power plants emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases and related harmful pollutants to the atmosphere every day. In contrast, nuclear power plants seem to emit negligible to no amount of greenhouse gases, which make them more efficient for human sustainability. Since they emit fewer pollutants and are less radioactive, nuclear power plants do not directly contribute to atmospheric climate change.

Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome:

The results of the lab procedures are expected to demonstrate that nuclear power plants are more efficient for human sustainability than coal power plants because they have lesser emission of gases, radioactivity, and plant accidents.

Methods:

The analysis of the two energy sources was based on use of 1 ton of coal and 1 ton of nuclear power since less than 1 ton of these sources is needed to generate 1 kWh of electricity. The use of 1 ton of each of these energy sources was also based on the fact that it would provide an easy comparison and analysis of coal and nuclear power plants. The numbers or data in the lab report were obtained through proper calculations on the tons of energy source needed to produce 1 kWh of electricity.

Results/Outcome:

In order to obtain the actual results or data in the lab report, research on the amount of electricity generated by various energy sources on an annual basis was carried out. These results were then divided to obtain the actual figure or proper estimate for each of the categories required for analysis. Furthermore, the appropriate lab procedures on electricity generation were also conducted to either confirm or refute the figures and estimates.

Discussion/Analysis: