AP Environmental Science

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    HistoryEdited Feb 13, 2018 8:56 AM by admin…

    Alternate energy




    Review:

    Radioactive half lives (see below)

    Radiation types: particles/rays (see below)

    Regarding CO2 transportation and storage underground:

    Lake Nyos disaster:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyos_disaster

    ch 20 Withgott:

    http://physics.hpa.edu/physics/apenvsci/withgott/withgott%206e/19-20.pdf

    ch 20 alternate energy

    Nuclear, biofuels, hydropower (all three are well established, provide a significant % of energy, and are global in scope)-all have less impact than fossil fuels.

    Nuclear: non-renewable (in our lifetime), hydro and biomass are (depending on biome, e.g. Brazil has rainforest for sugar cane)

    Nuclear Energy:

    Big picture:

    Good: bc lowers CO2 emissions, pollution

    Bad: nuclear accidents, waste, terrorism (dirty bomb), china syndrome,

    Three critical (public) accidents:

    Three mile island (PA), 1977

    Chernobyl (Ukraine), 1986

    Fukushima (Japan), 2010

    Film clip (PWR) from Film "The China Syndrome" released one week BEFORE Three Mile Island accident in 1977:

    http://physics.hpa.edu/physics/apenvsci/videos/china%20syndrome%20event.mov

    Fallout:

    Iodine 131: radioactive isotope released in Chernobyl accident (graphite in reactor): Soviets administered Iodine tablets to all children (why?)

    Fukushima: BWR reactor, earthquake then tsunami, small seawall, no electrical power for pumps, meltdown-ongoing (US fleet response, TEPCO), possible solution: freezing the ground underneath the plant.

    Reactor rod cooling ponds still leaking...

    See also bomb testing in the south pacific: Bikini atoll, Tahiti/NZ (Strontium 90)

    Chernobyl, 1986

    Fig 20.8

    Smaller accidents: Sweden: Forsmark, Japan: Tokaimura, SL-1 Reactor Idaho Falls

    Fig 20.3

    n.b. oil and gas are linked (mined together), both with decrease in 73-80

    n.b. nuclear flat from 90+ (no permits since 78)

    others relatively flat

    Evolution of nuclear: submarines to shore (same design) Hyman Rickover

    Fission process

    Fig 20.4 (example, other reactions also used)

    Notice that one neutron goes in, three neutrons are released:


    n.b. control rods absorb neutrons, moderator (often water or graphite) slows neutrons so they can have "effective" collisions. These are known as thermal neutrons, as their velocity slows from 150,000 m/s to thermal speeds to heat the water to steam.


    Understanding half life:

    Common misconception about half life: 2x half-life does not make zero

    At = A0 (1/2)n or At = A0/2n (Ao = original amount, At = amount at time t, sometime later, n = number of half-lives)

    Can also use population formula (rule of 70):

    At = A0e-kt if you know k (the decay rate)

    k = 0.693/t1/2 n.b. as t1/2 is larger, k is smaller (slower decay)


    Nuclear radiation-key particles:

    alpha rays/particles: Helium nucleus various speeds, heavy, stopped by skin, fatal if internal

    beta rays/particles: fast electron 137,000 mph, stopped by foil, goes through skin, ionizing

    gamma rays: photon, stopped by lead or concrete (lots) very dangerous, "gamma rays" (never particles)

    neutrons: no charge, passes through lead and concrete unless very thick, very fatal, embrittles steel


    PWR=pressurized water reactor

    See PWR diagram 20.5 (know the parts)

    Notice control rods in picture

    n.b. hot primary loop, safer secondary loop

    primary loop water is very radioactive, all material in contact must be buried

    nuclear waste is much more than just the fuel (coolant, gloves, tractors, etc.), for a VERY long time

    fuel must be cooled in water ponds or it melts (e.g. Fukushima)

    meltdown process: fuel (in reactor or spent fuel in ponds) is not cooled enough, melts through containment into water table ("China Syndrome")

    BWR (boiling water) reactor has one loop, so is much more dangerous

    USSR tried a BWR with metal sodium as the primary coolant, it exploded, town disappeared from map

    Third type: breeder reactor: creates bomb fuel (plutonium) U238 into Pu239

    More power, less waste, very dangerous (terrorism, unstable countries e.g. Iran, N. Korea)

    Compare with nuclear fusion: H + H --> He (star cycle)

    More common is H2/1 (deuterium)

    Hydrogen bomb uses Tritium (H3/1)

    TOKAMAK, Shiva LLL: fusion reactors for energy, not bombs

    Interesting stuff about weapons

    "Atomic" bomb (A-Bomb): Fission, using Uranium or Plutonium

    Uranium 235/92 easier to build, fuel harder to get (Hiroshima)

    Plutonium: Pu239/93 harder to build, fuel easier to get (Nagasaki)

    "dirty bomb" is not nuclear, but uses readily found plutonium dust (most toxic substance in the universe, ready alpha emitter, dust kills anyone breathing it) with TNT/C4

    Nuclear bomb ("H-bomb") uses A-bomb as detonator, deuterium or tritium as fuel, fusion reaction.

    Next steps in nuclear fission power: Thorium reactors, pebble bed reactors (e2 video)

    Terms to know:

    “prompt critical” (e.g. Idaho Falls, Chernobyl, Soviet submarine K-431)

    “SCRAM” =“security cut rope axe man” (negative reactivity), or to run away very fast...

    SCRAM is called “reactor trip” in PWR reactors (like in the China Syndrome film)

    Chernobyl accident 1986, Ukraine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

    Caused by operator error, in attempt to enrich the fuel by enhancing neutron flow and test the safety systems at the same time

    28 dead at scene, many 100 thousands more from cancer, many children

    Much worse bc USSR refused to warn populace and neighbors

    10x fallout of Hiroshima

    videos:

    Zero Hour: 2004 video (start at 26:00, very detailed a bit long)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITEXGdht3y8

    Chernobyl: (cheesy animations)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSRC1_OZPIg

    Fukushima:

    http://deepseanews.com/2013/11/true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster/





    Comments

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You should be able to do the following after logging in with your account: To create a new page, click the ...Falseadmin2020-08-19T15:43:59+00:00adminadmin2013-02-05 02:24:03+00:002013-02-05 02:24:03updated4Added tag - hotadminadmin2013-02-05 02:24:02+00:002013-02-05 02:24:02addTag3adminadmin2013-02-05 02:05:35+00:002013-02-05 02:05:35updated2First createdadminadmin2013-02-05 02:03:35+00:002013-02-05 02:03:35created1wiki2013-02-05T02:24:03+00:00groups/apenvironmentalscience/wiki/394a8FalseEnergy notes/groups/apenvironmentalscience/wiki/394a8/Energy_notes.htmladmin4 updatesEnergy notes Week of 2.4.13: energy wrap-up e2 video: coal vs. nuclear in class AP exams: FRQ 2002.1 2004.2 2006.1 2007.2 2008.1 ...Falseadmin2013-02-05T02:24:03+00:00adminadmin2013-02-05 02:23:20+00:002013-02-05 02:23:20updated6Added tag - hotadminadmin2013-02-05 02:23:18+00:002013-02-05 02:23:18addTag5adminadmin2013-02-05 02:23:12+00:002013-02-05 02:23:12updated4adminadmin2013-02-05 02:21:48+00:002013-02-05 02:21:48updated3adminadmin2013-02-05 02:20:26+00:002013-02-05 02:20:26updated2First createdadminadmin2013-02-05 02:06:00+00:002013-02-05 02:06:00created1wiki2013-02-05T02:23:20+00:00groups/apenvironmentalscience/wiki/c360bFalseFeb-May plan/groups/apenvironmentalscience/wiki/c360b/FebMay_plan.htmladmin6 updatesFeb-May plan 1. conclusion of energy chapters (see previous wiki) 2. GCC AP questions FRQ: 2006.2 2005.3 2005.4 2007.3 ...Falseadmin2013-02-05T02:23:20+00:00adminadmin2012-03-07 05:53:55+00:002012-03-07 05:53:55updated14adminadmin2012-03-07 05:43:38+00:002012-03-07 05:43:38updated13adminadmin2012-03-07 05:41:35+00:002012-03-07 05:41:35updated12adminadmin2012-03-07 05:38:57+00:002012-03-07 05:38:57updated11Added tag - hotadminadmin2012-03-07 05:38:55+00:002012-03-07 05:38:55addTag10adminadmin2012-03-07 05:36:47+00:002012-03-07 05:36:47updated9adminadmin2012-03-07 05:22:26+00:002012-03-07 05:22:26updated8adminadmin2012-03-07 05:20:01+00:002012-03-07 05:20:01updated7adminadmin2012-03-07 05:18:58+00:002012-03-07 05:18:58updated6adminadmin2012-03-07 04:58:55+00:002012-03-07 04:58:55updated5adminadmin2012-03-07 04:57:33+00:002012-03-07 04:57:33updated4adminadmin2012-03-07 04:56:53+00:002012-03-07 04:56:53updated3adminadmin2012-03-07 04:54:20+00:002012-03-07 04:54:20updated2First createdadminadmin2012-03-07 04:53:33+00:002012-03-07 04:53:33created1weblog2012-03-07T05:53:55+00:00groups/apenvironmentalscience/weblog/de030FalseGreen Apple/groups/apenvironmentalscience/weblog/de030/Green_Apple.htmladmin14 updatesGreen Apple Team, Please watch this video about NYC: Trailer: http://www.pbs.org/e2/episodes/101_the_green_apple_trailer.html On the server: http://physics.hpa...Falseadmin2012-03-07T05:53:55+00:00adminadmin2011-09-13 19:08:24+00:002011-09-13 19:08:24updated4Added tag - hotadminadmin2011-09-13 19:08:22+00:002011-09-13 19:08:22addTag3adminadmin2011-09-13 19:08:10+00:002011-09-13 19:08:10updated2First createdadminadmin2011-09-13 19:04:30+00:002011-09-13 19:04:30created1weblog2011-09-13T19:08:24+00:00groups/apenvironmentalscience/weblog/4ecddFalseQuestions for Wednesday, wiki adds/groups/apenvironmentalscience/weblog/4ecdd/Questions_for_Wednesday_wiki_adds.htmladmin4 updatesQuestions for Wednesday, wiki adds Team, I'd like to try something for class tomorrow: each of you to create a question from chapter 3, and email it to me by this evening (Tuesday). Pl...Falseadmin2011-09-13T19:08:24+00:00hot/groups/apenvironmentalscience/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomelist/groups/apenvironmentalscience/search/?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomeRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdates?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcome0/groups/apenvironmentalscience/sidebar/RecentChangesListmodifiedDateallRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdateswiki/welcomeNo recent changes.reverse5searchlist/groups/apenvironmentalscience/calendar/Upcoming EventsUpcomingEventsListEvents1Getting events…