Nuclear technology deals with the weapons deriving destructive energy from the release of atomic energy. The discoveries of nuclear technologies are from smoke detectors to nuclear reactors, from heavy guns to destructive nuclear weapons.

    The discovery of nuclear technology was first started from the research of the radioactive rays when the three rays Alpha, Beta and Gamma were discovered and scientists started working hard on it. During the process of this research, many scientists died from cancer because of the exposure to harmful radioactive rays. After these mishaps, scientists realized that these rays were harmful as well as powerful. When they passed these rays through an ordinary material such as paper, human body and air, they ionized and damaged the barricading material, clearing the fact that these rays are harmful. We can say that this was one of the greatest discoveries of nuclear technology.

    There are many advantages of the nuclear technology. It is also helpful for mankind and it can also be destructive depending on the usage. In the foregoing discussion, we will discuss both the Merits and Demerits of Nuclear technology.


MERITS OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY:

    There so many merits of nuclear technology like Power-generation, Medical Applications, Industrial Applications, Commercial Applications, Food Processing and Agriculture etc.

1. Nuclear Power:

It’s an important source of energy as we control nuclear fission to produce power and heat. Nuclear power is produced by the following method: it is a chain reaction through which heat is produced which changes water into steam and then the steam is used to spin the turbine. When steam turns the turbine it provokes the movement of generator coil which in turn produced electricity which is termed as nuclear power. Nowadays, most of the countries are using this advance technology to produce more electricity.

2. Medical Application:

Nuclear technology is very useful in medical application. This nuclear technology is divided into two types of medical application.

  A) DIAGNOSTICS:

In this application, nuclear technology is use to diagnose diseases. Nowadays x-ray is very common to diagnose bone and joints injuries etc.

  B) TREATMENT:

In this application, nuclear technology is used for the treatment of patient. The most common treatment is chemotherapy from nuclear radiation which is used in CANCER treatment.

3. Industrial Application:

The most common industrial application of nuclear technology is in road construction and industrial manufacture. It is used to determine the density of soil, asphalt and concrete. It’s also used for error detection in packaging and manufacturing industry.

4. Food Processing & Agriculture:

It is use in the form of ionizing radiation in order to kill the microorganisms such as Viruses, Bacteria, etc. It is also use for sprout inhabitation; increase in juice yield and in betterment of re-hydration.

As we have discussed the advantages of nuclear technology, we will now quote some disadvantages of nuclear technology which are harmful and defamatory for our world.

RADIOACTIVE WASTE:

One of the major and biggest demerits of nuclear technology is the radioactive waste while the output is very less. The decomposition of nuclear technology brings forth harmful radiations. The only way to get rid of these harmful radiations and to prevent ourselves from these harms is to seal and bury these radiations. They should be taken away to suitable place to prevent taint of the environment, but unfortunately there is currently no place that provides permanent and safe storage of nuclear waste.

COST:

Cost-effectiveness is also a very big disadvantage of the nuclear technology. We can ascertain the expensiveness of the nuclear technology by this fact that to setup a nuclear power plant it requires three and a half billion dollars. In spite of this fact, it is also non cost-effective in respect of maintenance as radioactive elements such as uranium and plutonium are very rare and costly. Therefore, cost is one of the major demerits of nuclear technology.

WEAPONS:

One of the most destructing and feared disadvantage of nuclear technology is nuclear weapons. In a survey it has been proved that in a year a nuclear reactor can easily produce 30 nuclear bombs. Therefore the nuclear plants must be in safe hands to avoid destruction and to maintain peace in the world.

After reading all these merits and demerits of nuclear technology, it seems that nuclear technology is made for the human welfare to serve the humanity. Therefore it must not go in the wrong hands. Nuclear technology is useful at many places but the radiation it releases, is harmful.