A Ph.D. student took to TikTok to debunk a false claim that nuclear energy involves burning fossil fuels.
Ms. Nuclear Energy (@cunningham.kaylee) was quick to point out that nuclear energy has nothing to do with carbon-based fossil fuels and that no burning is involved in the process.
“This mistake hurts me,” the creator says at the beginning of the video while showing a comment reading, “I would consider nuclear energy a very efficient fossil fuel energy.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Ms. Nuclear Energy explains how nuclear power works in a way that we mere mortals can understand with the help of an image of the internal mechanisms of a nuclear reactor.
“With nuclear, we’re digging up some fancy rocks that contain heavy metals instead of carbon,” the TikToker said.
“We take those rocks, we squish them into these little pellets the size of a gummy bear, throw them into a big, long metal tube and put them into this assembly, the nuclear fuel, if you will,” she continued. “And when these pellet-shaped fancy rocks get close together, they get really, really hot, courtesy of splitting atoms. That heat boils water to make steam to turn a turbine and generate electricity.”
Watch now: Does clean energy really cause blackouts?
Kaylee finishes by stating that the only thing released into the environment is water vapor and then reiterating that nuclear power is not a fossil fuel.
Advertisement
Advertisement
In the video, the creator also explains that fossil fuels — mainly oil, coal, and natural gas — are an energy source formed in the Earth’s crust from decayed organic material and that we produce electricity by burning this material. Because they’re carbon-based, massive amounts of carbon dioxide are released when they’re burned.
The TikToker also points out that this is one of the main drivers of the planet overheating.
One commenter added, “Worth adding that the water vapor being leaked into the atmosphere never touches the radioactive metals.”
Another said, “Explained so well my caveman brain can understand.”
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
