Question by : Why do spacecrafts not use nuclear fission for power?
Couldn’t nuclear energy greatly increase the speed and power of a space craft?
@anonymous – what does mass have to do with anything if your are in a no gravity environment? Mass in terms of weight is only an issue in environments with gravity. A space craft using nuclear energy would need to be kept in space at all times obviously.
Question by : Can you you control a nuclear fission reaction to power a spacecraft?
Is it possible to contain a nuclear fission reaction (or better yet, fusion reaction) and direct the thrust from the reaction out the back of a spaceship in order to power it at 0.5 G’s?
Best answer:
Answer by Starrysky http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/teacher/lessons/contributed/thomas/Adv.prop/advprop.html for NERVA atomic rocket engine, others. Pretty scary if it pollutes or goes wild.
There are plans to use nuclear engines for low thrust for a very long time on space probes. An early ion rocket has been employed on a comet probe. But to achieve 0.5G will take much more mass and shielding than has been attempted or even planned so far.
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Question by Leopard Gecko 2.0: How would the nuclear power plant explosion in Japan be different from the one in Chernobyl?
Also, If the nuclear power plant in Japan is already experiencing explosions why has it not been blown to pieces yet?
Best answer:
Answer by Alex Because the explosions, while contaminated with radiation, were not core explosions like what happened in Chernobyl.
That one blew huge chunks of the core fuel all over the place.
Japan is facing not an explosion hazard so much as a meltdown risk.
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Question by Swtf: What is a viable alternative to nuclear power generation?
Following Japan’s nuclear problems environmental groups are baying even more for ‘nuclear power generation’ banishment.
Do they have an alternative power source?
Wood?
Coal?
There are problems with these sources as well.
Best answer:
Answer by dawa there are many alternatives, but the technology has to improve a lot. for example. thermal and solar are one of the best option available for generating clean energy. Hydroelectric power is also one of the cleanest form of energy production, except if don’t consider its effect to the surrounding land and habitats. Another interesting form of energy production can be in a form of Pizeo electric power.. although this technology has to go a long way, but it can be a good option, especially in a populated area and if we prefer local energy production.
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Question by Mad Max: How does the balance of power shift if Iran becomes a nuclear power?
It seems to me that it is inevitable that Iran becomes a nuclear power. Bush was unable to stop North Korea, and didn’t stop Iran. Obama is unlikely to go to war in order to stop Iran, and even Israel is unlikely to at this point because the reactors now have nuclear fuel in them.
Once Iran becomes a nuclear power, what other countries will become nuclear powers, and how will this affect the long term strategic interests of the US? How will it change the balance of power in the world?
Best answer:
Answer by Oldwhiteguy2earth The concern is not so much the balance of power as much as it is the sworn goal of Iran to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Since Muslims will be rewarded in Heaven, someone in the Iranian hierarchy could possibly light up the Middle East without regard for the consequences.
Question by Midzy: how does a geothermal power station work?
is the power converted into wind energy? :s but how?
i mean how does this thing provide electrical power to houses and all..
does it use steam to spin the turbine?
Best answer:
Answer by ammassridhar Geothermal power (from the Greek words geo, meaning earth, and therme, meaning heat) is energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earth’s surface or the collection of absorbed heat in the atmosphere and oceans.
Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal generator on 4 July 1904, at the Larderello dry steam field in Italy.
The largest group of geothermal power plants in the world is located in The Geysers, a geothermal field in California. As of 2007, geothermal power supplies less than 1% of the world’s energy.
Question by tucher87: How many solar panels with one wind generator would you need to power a pop up?
I am looking at buying a pop up and would like to make it run off of deep cycle batteries but charging these batteries I would like to use a combination of solar panels and 1 wind generator. How many batteries would I need how many solar panels and what wind generator should I buy. I would be powering the lights an fridge and sometimes a AC or Heater.
Thanks
I live in west Texas where it never rains and its always windy
Best answer:
Answer by redsrule4500 Hope it’s not cloudy without wind for a while, you’ll be left with warm food and darkness.
An air conditioner/heater would be such a huge load on the system, wind/solar most likely don’t make sense for an individual, unless you’re on a lake or in California where it’s sunny everyday.
You would need around 200 W for a fridge, 100 W for small lights, and….500 W (?) for heating/air….so you’re looking at some pretty big batteries!! Every 2 hours you will use at least 1.5 kWh of energy.
Question by : How does a nuclear power plant trace its energy all the way back to the sun?
I am looking for something like a simple diagram or something that shows the sun and how it turns into nuclear energy.
Best answer:
Answer by Edward first of all, nuclear energy is created through nuclear fission aka the splitting of atoms. the atoms had to have come from the sun (or by small chance a meteorite).
the sun is capable of nuclear fission which is how we get more complex elements from the sun.
this is a very basic explanation of how our nuclear energy comes from the sun. it’s not prehistoric algae or ferns which give us Uranium 238
EDIT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium
read the part under occurrence. mostly for Bobby’s education :)
And i should clarify that we do not get Uranium from *our* sun. but it came from the supernovas of some suns billions of years ago. :)
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Question by Dr Jello – AGW RIP 1980-2010: What are your thoughts on converting coal plants to Nuclear Power?
Coal and other fuels produce tonnes of co2 every year. Half of all co2 created in the US is from power generation from coal power plants.
By replacing these coal plants with nuclear, green house gases could be reduced a whopping 50% because nuclear power creates no green house gases and very little waste.
Would you be in favor of building more nuclear power plants to replace coal plants, or are you scared of modern technology?
Best answer:
Answer by rockpolisherc For Sure. France is almost 100% working on Nuke power sites, and I think it is great. Would love to see this country operating the same way. There are so many safegurads in place it is almost impossible to have an accident. Almost anyway.
Theo Jansen is an engineer and artist. He makes “dynamic” sculptures, to me it’s like a robot – powered only by wind. A lot can be learned from here. One type of his sculpture robots is called “beach beast”.
Seymour’s latest invention is wind powered rollerskates. Video Rating: 5 / 5
