Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | John Maxwell Irvine |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 161 |
Release | 2011-05-26 |
Genre | Business & Economics |
ISBN | 0199584974 |
Following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks.
Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Maxwell Irvine |
Publisher | OUP Oxford |
Pages | 160 |
Release | 2011-05-26 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0191620319 |
With the World desperate to find energy sources that do not emit carbon gasses, nuclear power is back on the agenda and in the news, following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks. Here, Maxwell Irvine presents a concise introduction to the development of nuclear physics leading up to the emergence of the nuclear power industry. He discusses the nature of nuclear energy and deals with various aspects of public concern, considering the risks of nuclear safety, the cost of its development, and waste disposal. Dispelling some of the widespread confusion about nuclear energy, Irvine considers the relevance of nuclear power, the potential of nuclear fusion, and encourages informed debate about its potential. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Radioactivity: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Radioactivity: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Claudio Tuniz |
Publisher | Oxford University Press, USA |
Pages | 177 |
Release | 2012-07-26 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0199692424 |
Radioactivity - the breakdown of unstable atomic nuclei, releasing radiation - is a fundamental process in nature, and used to provide important applications in science, medicine, and energy production. But it remains misunderstood and feared. In this Very Short Introduction, Claudio Tuniz explains the nature and mechanisms of radioactivity.
Nuclear Weapons
Title | Nuclear Weapons PDF eBook |
Author | Joseph M. Siracusa |
Publisher | Oxford University Press, USA |
Pages | 153 |
Release | 2015 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 0198727232 |
Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing international landscape, this Very Short Introduction explores both the history and politics of nuclear weapons. In this new edition, Joseph M. Siracusa includes a new concluding chapter, highlighting the significant lessons to be learnt from the history of the nuclear weapons era.
Nuclear Physics
Title | Nuclear Physics PDF eBook |
Author | F. E. Close |
Publisher | Oxford University Press, USA |
Pages | 137 |
Release | 2015 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0198718632 |
In this Very Short Introduction Frank Close describes the historical development of nuclear physics, our understanding of the nucleus, how nuclei form, and the applications of the field in medicine. Exploring key concepts, Frank Close shows how nuclear physics brings the physics of the stars to Earth.
Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Joseph M. Siracusa |
Publisher | OUP Oxford |
Pages | 162 |
Release | 2008-03-20 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 0191578827 |
Despite not having been used in anger since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Bomb is still the biggest threat that faces us in the 21st century. As Bill Clinton's first secretary of defence, Les Aspin, aptly put it: 'The Cold War is over, the Soviet Union is no more. But the post-Cold War world is decidedly not post-nuclear'. For all the effort to reduce nuclear stockpiles to zero, it seems that the Bomb is here to stay. This Very Short Introduction reveals why. The history, and politics of the bomb are explained: from the technology of nuclear weapons, to the revolutionary implications of the H-bomb, and the politics of nuclear deterrence. The issues are set against a backdrop of the changing international landscape, from the early days of development, through the Cold War, to the present-day controversy of George W. Bush's National Missile Defence, and the threat and role of nuclear weapons in the so-called Age of Terror. Joseph M. Siracusa provides a comprehensive, accessible, and at times chilling overview of the most deadly weapon ever invented. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Nuclear Energy
Title | Nuclear Energy PDF eBook |
Author | Charles D. Ferguson |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 242 |
Release | 2011-05-17 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 0199792992 |
Originally perceived as a cheap and plentiful source of power, the commercial use of nuclear energy has been controversial for decades. Worries about the dangers that nuclear plants and their radioactive waste posed to nearby communities grew over time, and plant construction in the United States virtually died after the early 1980s. The 1986 disaster at Chernobyl only reinforced nuclear power's negative image. Yet in the decade prior to the Japanese nuclear crisis of 2011, sentiment about nuclear power underwent a marked change. The alarming acceleration of global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels and concern about dependence on foreign fuel has led policymakers, climate scientists, and energy experts to look once again at nuclear power as a source of energy. In this accessible overview, Charles D. Ferguson provides an authoritative account of the key facts about nuclear energy. What is the origin of nuclear energy? What countries use commercial nuclear power, and how much electricity do they obtain from it? How can future nuclear power plants be made safer? What can countries do to protect their nuclear facilities from military attacks? How hazardous is radioactive waste? Is nuclear energy a renewable energy source? Featuring a discussion of the recent nuclear crisis in Japan and its ramifications, Ferguson addresses these questions and more in Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know®, a book that is essential for anyone looking to learn more about this important issue. What Everyone Needs to Know® is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.