2008 Woodie Awards
Iran's Nuclear Program: A Closer Look
Alex Kushnir
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
On August 10, 2005, Iran ended ten months of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and reopened its Sfahan nuclear power plant. While Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has claimed that the plant will only be used for peaceful purposes, many Western powers fear that Iran will secretly develop nuclear weapons. Before taking sides on this controversial issue, it's important to understand the basics of nuclear technology and what differentiates peaceful energy from potentially harmful nuclear technology.
Nuclear energy is released when one atom is split into two smaller ones. This process is called nuclear fission. Picture, for example, an exploding bomb: the bomb breaks up into many smaller pieces and releases lots of energy. When one atom splits in a nuclear reaction, aside from releasing intense energy, it also releases three neutrons. These neutrons collide with other atoms causing them to split as well. Within milliseconds, this develops into a complex chain reaction and results in the splitting of billions of trillions of atoms. The amount of energy released by one pound of uranium-235, the commonly used atom in nuclear reactions, contains the energy equivalent to burning one million gallons of gasoline.
One of the big steps in producing nuclear energy is obtaining sufficient quantities of u-235 from the earth. The problem is, however, that 99.3% of the earth's uranium is in the form of uranium-238. Therefore, in order to isolate the .7% of uranium-235, scientists have developed a process called uranium enrichment. This process works by allowing raw uranium to pass through filter-like screens, which are designed to allow easy passage of u-235, while impeding the flow of u-238.
The difference between peaceful and non-peaceful nuclear development depends on the intensity of the enrichment process. A civilian nuclear reactor, for example, requires only three-percent enrichment to generate electricity. Weapons-grade uranium, however, requires about 90-percent enrichment. Therefore, while the Iranian government promises that its enrichment facilities will only be used to produce u-235 for civilian purposes, it will be difficult for any watchdog agency to guarantee that the rogue country will not secretly enrich its uranium to weapon-grade levels.
Do you have any ideas about how the IAEA can allow Iran to develop a peaceful nuclear program while insuring that the Islamic radicals running the country don't use this technology to manufacture weapons of mass destruction?
We want to hear from you: science@yucommentator.com.
Nuclear energy is released when one atom is split into two smaller ones. This process is called nuclear fission. Picture, for example, an exploding bomb: the bomb breaks up into many smaller pieces and releases lots of energy. When one atom splits in a nuclear reaction, aside from releasing intense energy, it also releases three neutrons. These neutrons collide with other atoms causing them to split as well. Within milliseconds, this develops into a complex chain reaction and results in the splitting of billions of trillions of atoms. The amount of energy released by one pound of uranium-235, the commonly used atom in nuclear reactions, contains the energy equivalent to burning one million gallons of gasoline.
One of the big steps in producing nuclear energy is obtaining sufficient quantities of u-235 from the earth. The problem is, however, that 99.3% of the earth's uranium is in the form of uranium-238. Therefore, in order to isolate the .7% of uranium-235, scientists have developed a process called uranium enrichment. This process works by allowing raw uranium to pass through filter-like screens, which are designed to allow easy passage of u-235, while impeding the flow of u-238.
The difference between peaceful and non-peaceful nuclear development depends on the intensity of the enrichment process. A civilian nuclear reactor, for example, requires only three-percent enrichment to generate electricity. Weapons-grade uranium, however, requires about 90-percent enrichment. Therefore, while the Iranian government promises that its enrichment facilities will only be used to produce u-235 for civilian purposes, it will be difficult for any watchdog agency to guarantee that the rogue country will not secretly enrich its uranium to weapon-grade levels.
Do you have any ideas about how the IAEA can allow Iran to develop a peaceful nuclear program while insuring that the Islamic radicals running the country don't use this technology to manufacture weapons of mass destruction?
We want to hear from you: science@yucommentator.com.