Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is a climate friendly source of energy. Electricity is also a form of energy that you probably use every day. You use it when you turn on the television, talk on the phone or turn on a light. "Electricity is a form of energy" as is nuclear power. When atoms are split apart to make smaller atoms energy is released. You can't see atoms, but even so they "have huge amounts of energy." There is a great deal of potential energy stored in atoms and when they split they are in motion and have kinetic energy. Nuclear power is produced by creating a controlled chain reaction. This book talks about different sources of energy, renewable and nonrenewable and where they come from. We have at our disposal fossil fuels, but they are "nonrenewable resources" that cause pollution and contribute to global warming. Nuclear power is a renewable resource and in non-polluting. This book talks about and explains how nuclear power works, the role of nuclear power in our future, the dangers it poses (Chernobyl) and its benefits. This is a very well written, concise overview of nuclear power, global warming and our energy crisis for the young student. The book is bright, appealing and colorful with numerous photographs. In the back of the book is a glossary, an index and additional recommended book and web site resources. This book would be an excellent choice for the homeschool or classroom shelves.