where the energy release is about 200 million electron volts (meV), a factor of 25 million greater than the combustion reaction of methane. Nuclear power plants harness the enormous energy releases from nuclear reactions for large-scale energy production. In a modern coal plant the combustion of one pound of coal produces about 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electric energy. The fissioning of one pound of uranium in a modern nuclear power plant produces about 3 million kWh of electric energy. It is the incredible energy density (energy per unit mass) that makes nuclear energy sources of such interest. There are around 316 nuclear power plants in the world that create 213,000 megawatts of electricity.
The small amount Radioactive, or nuclear, waste is the by-product the nuclear fission process. Radiation and radioactive material are attributed to tissue damage in the molecules of cellular matter. Cells can be temporally damaged or destroyed for good. The severity of the injury depends on the type of radiation, the absorbed dose, the rate at which the dose was absorbed, and the radio-sensitivity of the tissues involved. The effects of radiation are the same, whether from a radiation source outside the body or from material within. The effects of a quick influx of radiation will cause cell death, and they become apparent within less than a few weeks. Slower and evenly increasing exposure is better tolerated because some of the damage is repaired while the exposure continues, even if the total dose is relatively high. If the dose is enough to cause effects, however, repair is less likely and may be slow even if it does occur. Exposure to doses of radiation too low to destroy cells can induce cellular changes that may be detectable clinically only after some years. The most common radiation poisoning is usually localized to a small area and may cause some tissue death, damage and gangrene. Radiation that can be found internally can cause delayed deterioration, destruction of cells and can even initiate cancer growth.
