Importance in science during the war
When Roosevelt was informed of the research, he realized by starting this project, U.S. could have an advantage over Germany. The importance of the Manhattan Project during the war was the creation of nuclear weapons with led to victory for the U.S. The Manhattan Project allowed us to discover uranium and plutonium, and how to manipulate them for our use. During the war, it was used as a weapon, however today, the Manhattan Project influences us in a positive way.
Today's Importance in scienceThe Manhattan Project is important to us today. We use fission to release nuclear energy. 20% of America's electricity comes from nuclear power plants. The chart (right) shows top nuclear energy producing countries and their usage of nuclear energy compared to other sources.
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Nuclear power plants produce 14% of the world's electricity. Using fission to make energy is efficient. It prevents us from using non-renewable resources to make energy. However, nuclear energy is expensive. Only certain countries can afford to create fission, therefore, it is not a practical source of energy. The chart (right) shows the world's electricity production. |