CHM 212- CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES II

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ISSUE 3:
SHOULD THE U.S. START TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS?

 

 

Issue 3 Introduction
Debate Question
Issue 3 On-line Discussion
Internet Resource Sites

 

INTRODUCTION:

There have been no new orders in the U.S. for nuclear power plants since 1974. The last plant was completed in the late 1980's. Since Chernobyl in 1986, opposition to nuclear power has increased dramatically.

West Germany: 46 --> 83 % opposed
United States: 67 --> 78
France: --> 52

In this role play you should find out about both the pro and cons concerning the use of nuclear power. First, concentrate on the science of how a nuclear power plant operates to produce energy which is then converted to electricity. Secondly, investigate the safety features or lack of them which has lead to accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Also consider the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Finally, give consideration to the possible use of new "second" generation nuclear power plants and the use of nuclear power as a possible partial solution to the global warming problem discussed earlier.

Debate Question: SHOULD THE U.S. START TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS?

 

Debate Roles

For this debate, the instructor will assign members of the class to one of the possible roles listed below. In a role play you are expected to become knowledgeable about the issue so that you can accurately express the viewpoint and concerns of a typical person whose role you are playing. Attempt to do this even though you may not agree with that view point. Near the end of the debate you may express your own personal point of view.

The first three roles probably have a NO viewpoint, while the last three roles probably have a YES viewpoint. Although #3 may go either way.

 

Role Play Assignments	Group 1. Students	Group 2. Students
1. Environmental Scientist	Kelly F, Barb E
2. Citizen living near a power plant, a (NIMBY) Not In My Back Yard advocate.	Judy S, Valerie S
3. General Concerned Citizen	Anamarie J
4. Nuclear Scientist from NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)	Matt R, Candice E
5. Electrical and Nuclear Power Plant Official	Gina S, Amy S
6. Nuclear Fuel Cycle/Power Plant workers	Patrice S, Vivky V

• Excellent site but may have broken link - Virtual Nuclear Tourist This is the best site to find specific info about how nuclear power plants operate. Good descriptions, many pictures, and diagrams. Also has good descriptions of Three mile Island and Chernobyl.
  
• Nuclear Power - Energy for Today and Tomorrow
  
• Nuclear Reaction: Why do Americans Fear Nuclear Power? PBS Frontline
  
  
• Questions & Answers. This page is maintained by the University of Missouri-Rolla American Nuclear Society.
  
• Nuclear Reactor Concepts - click on a subtopic, then click on the HTML (no frames version)
  
• Nuclear Power Information Part I and Part II (simplified versions)
  
• Introduction to Radiation - maintained by U. of Michigan
  
• Natural Safety systems and Built in- very brief
  
• Plant Safety Defense in Depth -
  
• Safety features - graphic of containment structures
  
  
• Frequently Asked Question about Nuclear Energy from Stanford University.
  
• Nuclear Links - Contains a number of antinuclear links
  
  
• Nuclear Information from the World Wide Web Server
  
  
• NRC complete listing of all nuclear plants
  
  
• Todd's Atomic Home Page from U. of Cal. at Berkeley. Many links to lots of other nuclear sites. Check Nuclear Utilities and Reactor Information for specific companies and also find sites for advanced reactor designs.
  
  
• The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a new reactor concept that was being developed by
  Argonne National Laboratory-West. Some of the main features of the IFR are
  metallic fuel, a liquid metal coolant, and on-site fuel recycling. (Text version)
  
  
• Nuclear Energy Institute Fairly extensive narrative form of the basics with many hyperlinks to the subject matter.
  
• Summary and also contains links to Chernobyl
• Chernoybl Accident - brief
• NRC - Brief description with graphics
• What really happened at Chernobyl- lengthy reading

Issue 3 - Discussion

Various members of the class and the professor contributed to the discussion. Please read these postings before you make a contribution to this ongoing discussion. You may add new information for this discussion, make further comments on information already posted, or ask questions to other students or the professor about the information already posted. Answers to THREE Rounds of Discussion are required. This may be done all at once or you may wait for more of the discussion in Round 1 to be completed before giving your final answer to the question in Round 2.

Five questions from sub questions in 1-6 - find one that no one has answered, before doubling up.

Main debate question (Ques. 7)

One follow up response to another student.

Various members of the class and the professor contributed to the discussion. Please read these postings before you make a contribution to this ongoing discussion. You may add new information for this discussion, make further comments on information already posted, or ask questions to other students or the professor about the information already posted. Answers to THREE Rounds of Discussion are required. This may be done all at once or you may wait for more of the discussion in Round 1 to be completed before giving your final answer to the question in Round 2. A third round of discussion to respond to some other student is required after a number of students have posted.

Round 1 Discussion: (5 points)
Discussion Starters: Since an Issue is relatively complex, I have used the "General Questions" as a guideline to get the discussion started. For the 1st Round of Discussion we will consider questions 1-6. I have posed some simpler sub questions under these which you might answer to get things started. Each student should answer a total of 5 subquestions- one from each of the 6 main questions (one main question may be omitted). As more students join the discussion, they should answer questions that have not already been answered or may answer again and give additional information. You may pose other questions or make other comments that are relevant to the issue in Ques 6.

 

 

Round 2 Discussion: (See QUES. 7 below) (4 points)
Give your final answer to the main issue question. Clearly state which option YES or NO that you support, then give brief reasons and explanations for your answer (3-5 paragraphs should be sufficient)

 

Round 3 Discussion: (1 point): After some students have posted responses in all of the questions 1-7, then for your final response, make a comment, rebuttal, or answer a question posed by the other students. The purpose for this is to try to get a little more "give and take" discussion of the issue as would happen in a "live" oral discussion. You may make a short response to points made in the final debate question (QUES. 7) or any of the sub questions 1-6.

 

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: The best method to answer questions is to type the answers in a word processor so that you have a copy as a backup. Then when you are ready to post the answer to the bulletin board - select and copy the text from the word processor, go to Netscape, find the question series below this box, click on the Issue Discussion Forum Question link, scroll down the Message box, click cursor in the box, paste the text into the box, and finally post the message.

 

Role Play Assignments	Group 1. Students	Group 2. Students
1. Environmental Scientist	Kelly F, Barb E
2. Citizen living near a power plant, a (NIMBY) Not In My Back Yard advocate.	Judy S, Valerie S
3. General Concerned Citizen	Anamarie J
4. Nuclear Scientist from NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)	Matt R, Candice E
5. Electrical and Nuclear Power Plant Official	Gina S, Amy S
6. Nuclear Fuel Cycle/Power Plant workers	Patrice S, Vivky V

QUES.1. Identify the major technologies used and science concepts and principles which are applied to the technologies in this issue. Definitions: Technology is the application of scientific knowledge in the creation of new products and processes. Science is the knowledge gathered about the natural world through observations and controlled experimentation.

Ques. 1 - Discussion Forum
Ques. 1a: Briefly explain how a nuclear power plant operates to produce electricity (more details will follow).

Ques. 1b: What is the fission nuclear reaction?

Ques. 1c: What is the source of nuclear energy as compared to chemical energy obtained from the combustion reaction?

Ques. 1d: What is nuclear radiation - give 3 different types?

Ques. 1 - Discussion Forum

QUES.2. Identify the issues, questions, limitations or drawbacks involved with the technology, especially environmental effects. Definition: Application of technology is called into question when the quality of life and/or the environment deteriorates.

Ques. 2 - Discussion Forum

Ques. 2a: What are the safety issues associated with nuclear power plants?

Ques. 2b: What are the causes and consequences of a reactor core melt down as happened at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl?

Ques. 2c: What are the consequences of the release of radioactive isotopes and related health issues as at Chernobyl (worst case) or from a properly working nuclear plant in the U. S.?

Ques. 2d: What are the issues associated with the disposal of nuclear waste from the spent fuel rods?

Ques. 2 - Discussion Forum

3. For the issues and questions above, list/explain the science concepts and cause and effect relationships involved; and/or identify the use of the scientific method (Hypothesis? Experiments? Results and Conclusions?) to prove or disprove any of the questions or hypotheses.

Ques. 3 - Discussion Forum

Terms to explain: Redundancy, Containment Structures, New reactor designs

Ques. 3a: Explain the features in a nuclear power plant to insure that no major accidents will happen?

Ques. 3b: What is the major difference in the building structures of U.S. versus Russian nuclear power plants?

Ques. 3c: Explain how new reactor designs may be even safer than the current designs (each person that answers can discuss a different new design)

Ques. 3d: Explain what studies have been conducted to assure safe disposal of nuclear waste.

Ques. 3 - Discussion Forum

QUES. 4. Identify the limitations or uncertainties of the science in understanding and/or solving the problem.

Definition: Science is more limited in its ability to deal with systems with complex interactions because it can effectively study only a small number of variables and is incapable of controlling all of the variables. The "answers" provided by science may not be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Ques. 4a: Can we be assured that nuclear power plants will be 100% free from potential accidents?

Ques. 4b: How will we ever get an answer to the question that a nuclear waste site will not leak for 10,000 years or longer?

Ques. 4 - Discussion Forum

5. Identify the social, philosophical, and/or ethical issues.

Definition: Social issues relate to the general welfare of society. Philosophical issues relate to the principles and values for the conduct of life. Ethical issues are concerned with morals (distinction between right and wrong) and values (the ultimate worth of actions or "things").

Ques. 5 - Discussion Forum

Ques. 5a: Which type of power: fossil fuels, alternate energies, or nuclear is safer and creates less pollution for society as a whole?

Ques. 5b: Is is right to create wastes that will be around for future generations to take care of?

Ques. 5c: Is nuclear power a potential solution for global warming caused by fossil fuels?

Ques. 5d: Can a nuclear scientist be ethically correct in making the safety claims for nuclear power and waste disposal?

Ques. 5 - Discussion Forum

QUES.6. Identify any questions, comments, or "eye opening" new ideas related to this issue.

Ques. 6 - Discussion Forum

QUES. 7. As an individual citizen or as a group, what course of action would you take regarding the main issue question? Interpret available information and data to formulate a solution and a plan of action. This should be 4-6 paragraphs in length.

Should the United States Start to Build More Nuclear Power Plants?

Ques. 7 - Answer Main Issue Discussion Forum - Group 1

Ques. 7 - Answer Main Issue Discussion Forum - Group 2