How Do Coal and Nuclear Power Plants Compare in Efficiency and Waste Production?

AI Thread Summary
Coal-fired power plants operate with an efficiency of 39.5%, requiring approximately 2.53 joules of thermal energy to produce one joule of electrical energy, while nuclear plants have a lower efficiency of 33.5%, needing about 2.99 joules. Consequently, coal plants exhaust more waste heat compared to nuclear plants due to their higher thermal energy consumption. Efficiency is defined as the ratio of useful energy output to total energy input, highlighting the relationship between energy consumed, generated, and wasted. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for evaluating the environmental impact and operational effectiveness of different energy sources. The discussion emphasizes the importance of efficiency in energy production and waste management.
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Homework Statement


A typical coal-fired electric power plant has an efficiency of 39.5%, while a nuclear power plant is 33.5% efficient.
(a) How many joules of thermal energy are required by each plant to generate one joule of electrical energy? How much heat does each plant exhaust as waste?


Homework Equations


None that I know :(


The Attempt at a Solution


unsure how to go about this problem, any help is appreciated.
 
Last edited:
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phys-unit said:

Homework Equations


None that I know :(

How do you think the following are related:
  • Energy consumed
  • Energy generated
  • Efficiency

In other words, how is efficiency defined?
 
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