| You might wonder why the mayor of Las Vegas | | | | actually occur, a neutron collides with a uranium |
| sued President Bush. Simply put, it had to do with | | | | atom, splitting it into a barium atom (142Ba) and a |
| neutrons. | | | | krypton atom (91Kr). Notice that three additional |
| Then-Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, with | | | | neutrons are created, along with the release of |
| the backing of President Bush, ended 20 years of | | | | energy. If there is more than just one uranium |
| research on how to dispose of the nation's 70,000 | | | | atom in the sample, the additional neutrons |
| tons of nuclear waste by deciding it will be buried | | | | created by the original splitting will impact more |
| deep within the Yucca Mountains of Nevada, 90 | | | | uranium atoms, releasing more neutrons and |
| miles northwest of Las Vegas. Some people now | | | | more energy. In this way, the chain-reaction |
| refer to the site as Yuck-a Mountain. | | | | continues to escalate. If the reaction goes |
| If Washington's plans are realized, Yucca Mountain | | | | unchecked, and there is enough uranium present |
| will become a geological tomb for radioactive | | | | initially, a nuclear explosion will result. |
| waste from the nation's 131 temporary storage | | | | In a nuclear reactor designed to produce |
| sites, most of which sit next to the nuclear | | | | electricity, the chain reaction is controlled such |
| power plants that gave birth to them. In addition, | | | | that it does not escalate out of control, but |
| all the radioactive materials from the U.S. nuclear | | | | instead produces a steady stream of energy. |
| weapons and nuclear submarine programs will also | | | | Unfortunately, as the uranium in the reactor's fuel |
| be sent to Nevada. | | | | rods becomes contaminated with fission products |
| The Bush Administration had promised to help | | | | like the barium and krypton atoms shown in the |
| Russia dispose of its nuclear wastes in an effort | | | | above reaction, neutrons begin colliding with them |
| to keep terrorists from obtaining raw materials | | | | instead of the uranium, making the process less |
| that could be used to create nuclear devices for | | | | and less efficient with time. As a result, the fuel |
| mass destruction. Yucca Mountain, then, may be | | | | rods have to be replaced periodically with new |
| slated to become an international, | | | | ones that are not contaminated with fission |
| radioactive-waste dumpster. | | | | products. Spent fuel rods still contain some |
| Advocates say the plan is safe, due primarily to | | | | percentage of unreacted uranium-235 together |
| the stable geology that characterizes the Yucca | | | | with the fission products, all of which are |
| Mountains. In addition, proponents argue that it will | | | | radioactive. These spent fuel rods are stored |
| be far better to have all radioactive materials at | | | | underwater in pools nearby the reactors from |
| one central location than to have it spread around | | | | where they came, constituting the majority of |
| the country in 39 states, as it is now. Radioactive | | | | the nations "nuclear waste" that the Bush |
| wastes would probably be immobilized by forming | | | | Administration has decided to bury in Nevada. |
| them into some type of glass or ceramic material, | | | | How long will it take for these materials to |
| then sealed in corrosive-resistant containers | | | | become safe again? The half-life is defined as the |
| before being stored deep within the bowels of the | | | | amount of time required for half of the atoms in |
| Nevada mountains. | | | | a radioactive sample to decay. Unreacted |
| Many environmentalists have argued that the heat | | | | uranium-235 (in the discarded fuel rods) has a |
| generated by years of continuous radioactive | | | | half-life of 710 million years! Fission by-products |
| decay may eventually cause container failures, | | | | such as strontium-90 are more prevalent in spent |
| with subsequent contamination of Nevada's | | | | fuel rods than uranium-235. Although the half-life |
| underground water supplies and geology. | | | | of strontium-90 is only 29 years, it takes 20 |
| The problem with nuclear energy lies almost | | | | half-life cycles, or 600 years, before such material |
| entirely with its by-products, which are | | | | is safe to biological systems such as human |
| themselves radioactive. Typically, the process | | | | beings. |
| starts with uranium atoms designated as | | | | Perhaps now we can understand why Mayor |
| uranium-235 (235U), which have an atomic mass | | | | Oscar Goodman of Las Vegas, along with most |
| of 235 amu (atomic mass units). The uranium | | | | of Nevada's politicians, was ready to do battle |
| atoms (held within the fuel rods of a nuclear | | | | with Washington. Aside from the possibility of lost |
| reactor) are split by a source of slow moving | | | | revenue derived from having the nation's nuclear |
| particles called neutrons (designated as 1n) having | | | | waste repository in their state, they fear that if |
| a mass of 1 amu. One of the results of splitting | | | | radioactive materials leaking from containers inside |
| uranium atoms is the formation of atoms of | | | | Yucca Mountain contaminate the state's |
| lower mass. One typical reaction pattern is: | | | | groundwater, they would be saying good-bye to |
| 1n + 235U = 142Ba + 91Kr + 3 1n + energy | | | | their casinos and their livelihoods, not to mention |
| In this fission reaction, just one of many that | | | | their citizens. |