(a) What are the advantages of nuclear energy?
(b) State the disadvantages of nuclear energy.
(a) Advantages of nuclear energy:
(i) It produces a large amount of useful energy from a very small amount of a nuclear fuel.
(ii) Once the nuclear fuel is loaded into the reactor, the nuclear power plant can go on producing electricity for two to three years at a stretch. There is no need of feeding the fuel again and again.
(iii) It does not produce gases like CO2 or SO2.
(b) Disadvantages of nuclear energy:
(i) The waste products of nuclear fission reactions are radioactive which keep on emitting harmful radiations for thousands of years and are difficult to store or dispose safely.
(ii) Very high cost of installation is required.
(iii) There is a limited availability of uranium fuel.