Radiation Emitted in a Power Plant
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Although many think of a nuclear power plant as a radiation emitting machine, they are really mistaken!
The most evident form of discharge from a power plant is the water vapor coming out of the big smoke stacks, although this may look frightening coming from a nuclear power plant, it is only water vapor coming from the water that is being used to cool the heating uranium, which is trapped inside the power plant. This burning water is actually preventing a nuclear disaster, and emits very little, if any radiation. The only form of radiation that is not contained inside the power plant itself, is the waste from used radioactive material. Unfortunately, you can't just throw away radioactive material, it takes anywhere from a few seconds to thousands of years for the radioactivity in radioactive material to subside (depending on the quantity and the specific element). In the meantime, the radioactive material is stored in a safe, contained area, until the material is no longer harmful which can take a very long time.
We encourage you to visit this page for more information: http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/related-info/faq.html#9
The information comes from the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), and is credible.
The most evident form of discharge from a power plant is the water vapor coming out of the big smoke stacks, although this may look frightening coming from a nuclear power plant, it is only water vapor coming from the water that is being used to cool the heating uranium, which is trapped inside the power plant. This burning water is actually preventing a nuclear disaster, and emits very little, if any radiation. The only form of radiation that is not contained inside the power plant itself, is the waste from used radioactive material. Unfortunately, you can't just throw away radioactive material, it takes anywhere from a few seconds to thousands of years for the radioactivity in radioactive material to subside (depending on the quantity and the specific element). In the meantime, the radioactive material is stored in a safe, contained area, until the material is no longer harmful which can take a very long time.
We encourage you to visit this page for more information: http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/related-info/faq.html#9
The information comes from the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), and is credible.