Video Transcript
Nuclear power stations can be
located near large water sources. The water is taken and run through
the power plant to act as a coolant. During this process, the
temperature of the water can gradually rise. What is this type of pollution
referred to as? (A) Chemical pollution, (B) isotope
pollution, (C) nuclear pollution, (D) radiant pollution, (E) thermal pollution.
Nuclear power stations are often
located near large water sources. During its operation, water is
pumped into the power plant to act as a coolant. During this process, the
temperature of the water being pumped through the power plant can gradually
rise. This means that when the water is
returned to the water source, it is warmer than when it left. The artificial change in the
temperature of a water source is known as thermal pollution. An increase in water temperature
can affect the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. It can also cause thermal shock
that results in mass killings of marine life. And it can affect the migration
patterns of different species.
Nuclear power plants can also
contribute to a different type of pollution called radiant pollution. Radiant pollution is a rise in
radiation levels that can be caused by nuclear reactors leaking or radioactive
substances being dumped into water sources. The effect of radiant pollution on
marine life has yet to be fully established. The question specifically asks
about the type of pollution that results when the temperature of water rises. This type of pollution is thermal
pollution.
So the type of pollution that can
be caused when nuclear power stations use water sources as a coolant is thermal
pollution, answer choice (E).
