Final answer:
Nuclear power plants produce electricity through the process of nuclear fission, while diesel-powered electric generators produce electricity through the combustion of diesel fuel. When comparing the two, nuclear power plants have lower CO₂ emissions, but pose a higher long-term disposal risk for radioactive waste. Diesel generators have higher operating costs and emit CO₂ during operation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nuclear power plants produce electricity through the process of nuclear fission, where the radioactive decay of elements like uranium releases large amounts of energy. On the other hand, diesel-powered electric generators produce electricity through combustion of diesel fuel. Now let's compare the two based on the given options:
A. Lower risk from long-term disposal of waste products: Nuclear power plants generate radioactive waste that needs to be stored for thousands of years, which poses a long-term disposal risk. Diesel generators produce exhaust emissions which can have short-term environmental impacts, but do not pose the same long-term disposal risk.
B. Lower operating cost per unit of energy produced: Diesel fuel is typically more expensive than uranium used in nuclear power plants, resulting in higher operating costs per unit of energy produced for diesel generators compared to nuclear power plants.
C. Higher CO₂ emission per unit of energy during operation: Diesel generators produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions during combustion, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power plants, on the other hand, do not produce CO₂ emissions during operation, making them a more environmentally friendly option in terms of carbon emissions.
D. Higher cost of fuel and fuel processing per unit weight of fuel: Diesel fuel is generally more expensive than uranium per unit weight. Additionally, diesel fuel requires ongoing fuel processing and transportation costs, whereas uranium used in nuclear power plants requires less processing and transportation.
In summary, the key differences between electricity obtained from a nuclear power plant and a diesel-powered electric generator include the long-term disposal risk of nuclear waste, the operating cost, CO₂ emissions during operation, and the cost of fuel and fuel processing.