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Very Short Introductions #268
Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction
With the world desperate to find energy sources that do not emit carbon gases--a desire compounded by the sky-rocketing cost of fossil fuels--nuclear power is back on the agenda and in the news. Yet nuclear power sparks anxiety in many people who are unclear about the nature and extent of the associated risks. In this Very Short Introduction, Maxwell Irvine provides an informative and balanced overview of the entire subject. He presents a concise history of the development of nuclear physics leading up to the emergence of the nuclear power industry and discusses the nature of nuclear energy and the various aspects of public concern, including the risks of nuclear safety, the cost of its development, and the problems of waste disposal. The book looks specifically at safety records, including accounts of the Windscale fire, the Three Mile Island incident, and the Chernobyl disaster. As he dispels much of the widespread confusion about nuclear energy, Irvine argues for the relevance
of nuclear power to the ongoing energy crisis and encourages informed debate about its potential.
of nuclear power to the ongoing energy crisis and encourages informed debate about its potential.
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2011
39 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Maxwell Irvine
1 book1 followerMaxwell Irvine was a British theoretical physicist and university administrator, who served as Vice-Chancellor of the Universities of Aberdeen and Birmingham.
Maxwell Irvine became Professor of Theoretical Physics at Manchester University in 1983 and Dean of Science at Manchester in 1989. Irvine was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen from 1991 to 1996. He was Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University from 1996 to 2001. Irvine served as chairman of the nuclear physics committee of the Science Research Council and vice-president of the Institute of Physics. He was a director of the Public Health Laboratory Service. During the 1997 general election campaign, while he was Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University, Irvine introduced Tony Blair before his keynote “education, education, education” speech. However three years later Irvine published an open letter to Prime Minister Blair, criticising the government's polices towards universities. Irvine married Grace Ritchie in 1962 and had a son. His hobby was hill-walking.
Maxwell Irvine became Professor of Theoretical Physics at Manchester University in 1983 and Dean of Science at Manchester in 1989. Irvine was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen from 1991 to 1996. He was Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University from 1996 to 2001. Irvine served as chairman of the nuclear physics committee of the Science Research Council and vice-president of the Institute of Physics. He was a director of the Public Health Laboratory Service. During the 1997 general election campaign, while he was Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University, Irvine introduced Tony Blair before his keynote “education, education, education” speech. However three years later Irvine published an open letter to Prime Minister Blair, criticising the government's polices towards universities. Irvine married Grace Ritchie in 1962 and had a son. His hobby was hill-walking.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 23, 2021
The book is not 100% correct, be careful. E.g,
"At Chernobyl, the authority of the reactor operators was not questioned when they began an illegal reactor experiment in May 1986".
The explosion happened 26 April 1986, and thus the experiment started before.
I don't have the knowledge to scrutinize all facts in the book. But this error made me somewhat cautious on how much one can trust this source. Elsewise, I am a huge fan of the "A Very Short Introduction" series.
"At Chernobyl, the authority of the reactor operators was not questioned when they began an illegal reactor experiment in May 1986".
The explosion happened 26 April 1986, and thus the experiment started before.
I don't have the knowledge to scrutinize all facts in the book. But this error made me somewhat cautious on how much one can trust this source. Elsewise, I am a huge fan of the "A Very Short Introduction" series.
January 21, 2022
Most of this book was just what was promised in the title, a brief introduction to key concepts in nuclear power. The book starts from the early history of nuclear physics and goes on to detail how this new science was applied, first in war and then later for civilian power purposes. The writing was a little dense at times but the brevity of the book and helpful charts and appendix made it comprehensible.
But.
There appears to be at least one, glaring inaccuracy in this book that I haven’t been able to resolve, and I can’t help but wonder about the rest of the volume in light of this apparent error.
“At Chernobyl, the authority of the reactor operators was not questioned when they began an illegal reactor experiment in May 1986" (pg. 68).
The author mentions the cause of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 being an “illegal reactor experiment”. This immediately struck me as an odd statement. Illegal? In what way? The safety test on the night of the disaster was certainly not something unknown or unauthorized to the managers of the plant. Everything I’ve read about Chernobyl seems to agree that pressure to complete the safety test on schedule from higher ups at the plant lead to an untrained team conducting the test at a time later than expected (it was meant to be done by an earlier shift of workers who had been trained for it but got postponed). There were certainly many issues with how the experiment was carried out but “illegal” doesn’t seem to fit the bill. The author’s point could just have easily been made by highlighting the issues with the test, the timing, the untrained staff, the lack of failsafe measures without referring to the test as illegal. This wording seems to imply the reason the accident happened at all was because plant operators were breaking actual laws or regulations in place at the time which simply doesn’t seem to be true.
The author mentions this several times, always referring to the “illegal experiment”. I haven’t yet found anything to indicate this safety test was illegal in any traditional sense of the term.
It’s possible the author was referring to this information from the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group, stating that in a previous edition it had said the test was in violation of regulations at the time but has revised that statement in light of new info.
“It was stated in INSAG-1 that blocking of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) was a violation of procedures. However, recent Soviet information confirms that blocking of the ECCS was in fact permissible at Chernobyl if authorized by the Chief Engineer, and that this authorization was given for the tests leading up to the accident and was even an approved step in the test procedure” (INSAG-7, 1992, pg. 10).
The author also says the “illegal experiment” was carried out in May of 1986. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place on the night of April 26 1986, not in May. It’s a very small part of a book that covers a lot of ground (and most of it fairly well), but this date is very obviously incorrect and should have been caught in editing.
References
IAEA. (1992). Chapter 3: The Accident. In The Chernobyl accident: Updating of INSAG-1: INSAG-7: A report by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (pp. 10–12). essay.
Irvine, H. M. (2011). Nuclear power: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
But.
There appears to be at least one, glaring inaccuracy in this book that I haven’t been able to resolve, and I can’t help but wonder about the rest of the volume in light of this apparent error.
“At Chernobyl, the authority of the reactor operators was not questioned when they began an illegal reactor experiment in May 1986" (pg. 68).
The author mentions the cause of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 being an “illegal reactor experiment”. This immediately struck me as an odd statement. Illegal? In what way? The safety test on the night of the disaster was certainly not something unknown or unauthorized to the managers of the plant. Everything I’ve read about Chernobyl seems to agree that pressure to complete the safety test on schedule from higher ups at the plant lead to an untrained team conducting the test at a time later than expected (it was meant to be done by an earlier shift of workers who had been trained for it but got postponed). There were certainly many issues with how the experiment was carried out but “illegal” doesn’t seem to fit the bill. The author’s point could just have easily been made by highlighting the issues with the test, the timing, the untrained staff, the lack of failsafe measures without referring to the test as illegal. This wording seems to imply the reason the accident happened at all was because plant operators were breaking actual laws or regulations in place at the time which simply doesn’t seem to be true.
The author mentions this several times, always referring to the “illegal experiment”. I haven’t yet found anything to indicate this safety test was illegal in any traditional sense of the term.
It’s possible the author was referring to this information from the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group, stating that in a previous edition it had said the test was in violation of regulations at the time but has revised that statement in light of new info.
“It was stated in INSAG-1 that blocking of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) was a violation of procedures. However, recent Soviet information confirms that blocking of the ECCS was in fact permissible at Chernobyl if authorized by the Chief Engineer, and that this authorization was given for the tests leading up to the accident and was even an approved step in the test procedure” (INSAG-7, 1992, pg. 10).
The author also says the “illegal experiment” was carried out in May of 1986. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place on the night of April 26 1986, not in May. It’s a very small part of a book that covers a lot of ground (and most of it fairly well), but this date is very obviously incorrect and should have been caught in editing.
References
IAEA. (1992). Chapter 3: The Accident. In The Chernobyl accident: Updating of INSAG-1: INSAG-7: A report by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (pp. 10–12). essay.
Irvine, H. M. (2011). Nuclear power: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
January 17, 2022
These things are SO hit and miss. Sometimes they are actually an introduction, and sometimes you need a minor degree to work out what they're talking about. (HINDUISM IM LOOKING AT YOU). This one was just about ok with a maths degree and physics a-level AND having just watched Cherbobyl. 😅 Sadly, its not very balanced. The effects on human life of radiation were barely mentioned (women painting radium onto items to make them glow in the dark were known to lick their brushes to get a better line. In this book it was claimed that they had a higher rate of mouth cancer. What actually happened was that their JAWS ROTTED OFF THEIR FACES WHILE THEY WERE STILL ALIVE...due to mouth cancer...) and the USSR propaganda number of deaths at Chernobyl was used.... without reference to the vast number of studies that indicate a number many thousands bigger than...31. Hard to take it seriously after that if I'm honest and it hasn't done much to alleviate my wariness of nuclear power, but it did convince me that modern nuclear power reactors have a decent amount of safeguarding going on. However, dismissing all of the horrible accidents in the past as "human error" without acknowledging that...humans run, build, and tamper with them, is just nuts. Nuts.
July 29, 2025
Nuclear Power, A Very Short Introduction does just that. It provides information on the early development of Nuclear physics, through the rapid development during WWII, the development of early power stations/plutonium manufacture to the state of play in the 2010’s. It looks at nuclear waste, safety, why nuclear power is needed and the cost of nuclear compared to other energy creation methods such as coal, gas and wind.
Although the first chapter could be a little hard reading for someone with no physics background, most of the book is pretty easy to follow and read.
On the negative side it is clear that the author is very pro-nuclear power and at times I feel dismisses some of the negatives of nuclear with little evidence. I would like to read a more critical review of some of the negatives such as the issue of waste.
Overall though an interesting book that does what the title says, it provides a short introduction to nuclear power to allow someone to have a basic understanding of some of the issues.
Although the first chapter could be a little hard reading for someone with no physics background, most of the book is pretty easy to follow and read.
On the negative side it is clear that the author is very pro-nuclear power and at times I feel dismisses some of the negatives of nuclear with little evidence. I would like to read a more critical review of some of the negatives such as the issue of waste.
Overall though an interesting book that does what the title says, it provides a short introduction to nuclear power to allow someone to have a basic understanding of some of the issues.
January 4, 2023
Nuclear Power : A Very Short Introduction (2011) by Maxwell Irvine is a very good introduction to nuclear power. Irvine was a professor of theoretical physics.
The book first covers the discovery of radiation and the discovery that you could get power out. There are then chapters on the development of nuclear reactors. This looks at the Magnox reactors, the CANDU reactors, PWR and BWR types. There is then a very interesting chapter on reprocessing nuclear waste and how much of the nuclear fuel is consumed. There is then an investigation of the safety record of reactors. There is also a chapter on the cost of nuclear power. There is then also a chapter on nuclear fusion which is interesting to see. Finally Irvine makes the case that nuclear power is needed.
This is a very good short introduction where Irvine manages to capture the scientific side of nuclear power and gives a history of it. For anyone look to get an understanding of nuclear power this book is recommended.
The book first covers the discovery of radiation and the discovery that you could get power out. There are then chapters on the development of nuclear reactors. This looks at the Magnox reactors, the CANDU reactors, PWR and BWR types. There is then a very interesting chapter on reprocessing nuclear waste and how much of the nuclear fuel is consumed. There is then an investigation of the safety record of reactors. There is also a chapter on the cost of nuclear power. There is then also a chapter on nuclear fusion which is interesting to see. Finally Irvine makes the case that nuclear power is needed.
This is a very good short introduction where Irvine manages to capture the scientific side of nuclear power and gives a history of it. For anyone look to get an understanding of nuclear power this book is recommended.
July 31, 2022
Published in 2011, The very short Introduction series Book on Nuclear Power is a refreshing revision of Nuclear Power World. Though first few chapters a bit technical in nature, I am more impressed with the second half of the book which discuss general scenario....
like, Its seems the future of Fast Breeder Reactor Technology is bleak is light of Fast Reactor Technology. In a Reality check the fusion technology is far far away.
Over all A good book to read if you want to konw something about nuclear power tech..
like, Its seems the future of Fast Breeder Reactor Technology is bleak is light of Fast Reactor Technology. In a Reality check the fusion technology is far far away.
Over all A good book to read if you want to konw something about nuclear power tech..
February 23, 2024
The book deserves both 2 and 4 stars, in my opinion.
It earns the 2 stars because there are moments when it really needed more depth, especially regarding the physics upon which these nuclear theories are based.
On the other hand, the 4-star rating represents what the book excels in: conveying a very nuanced and broad perspective on the entire subject to the reader. It covers everything from history, societal impact, to related theories about energy needs.
An interesting read for sure!
It earns the 2 stars because there are moments when it really needed more depth, especially regarding the physics upon which these nuclear theories are based.
On the other hand, the 4-star rating represents what the book excels in: conveying a very nuanced and broad perspective on the entire subject to the reader. It covers everything from history, societal impact, to related theories about energy needs.
An interesting read for sure!
December 7, 2017
Much closer to 3 stars than one (I may still change my rating of this book later, I find it hard to evaluate if the book deserves a third star). It might have been a good idea for the author to have gone over the 'basic concepts' in a little more detail and have spent a little less time on stuff like generation 4 reactors.
April 11, 2021
A good introduction, but lacking a narrative at points. Some chapters end up being lists of technical information with little direction
May 27, 2022
The book was of 'very short introduction' content. It does a pretty good job of hitting the high points of the most important aspects of the subject. It's pretty dated, though. There has been a lot of activity in the field in the last 10 years and as the book was written about 10 years ago, it misses all that. I should have realized that before picking it up. It's still worth a read; as long as you realize its not up to date.
June 16, 2022
Decent book. Quite easy to follow but a few word errors such as “the Ukraine” instead of the correct way of Ukraine.
April 9, 2013
The book I read to research this post was Nuclear Power A Very Short Introduction by Maxwell Irvine which is an excellent book which I bought off kindle. This book is part of a series of subjects we should know more and they tell you the essentials so you can grasp it and they're written by an expert in that field. I am full of praise for them. Most elements are neutrally charged and are stable but some aren't. They are either positively or negatively charged and emit particles from their atoms. This process is called radiation and the element turns into a different element as a result. What it emits according to what particles are emitted and what charge they have determine the type of radiation. The time it takes for half a radioactive substance to turn into another substance is called its half life. We only have a use for a few radioactive substances. The main ones used are uranium which comes in 2 main isotopes & plutonium. There is also heavy water which can be deutrium or tritium. These are water with particles added. A hydrogen bomb uses heavy water to achieve a chain reaction. A nuclear warhead is used separately to achieve the desired temperature. In a nuclear power station rods are inserted or withdrawn to control the rate of reaction of a nuclear material and this hot steam which results is used to drive a turbine. France was the first country to mass produce nuclear power stations which tend to use a standard design. They have exported many nuclear power stations and 80% of their domestic power is generated in this way. This book also looks at the disasters at Chenobyl, Sellafield & 3 Mile Island. Of course Chenobyl was by far the most serious. They also describe the different types of reactor and how this can relate to the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
Read
August 29, 2012Short and sweet. Pretty interesting read.
p. 18 -- Dates of Enrico Fermi DOB/Death in figure caption may be incorrect: Wikipedia lists 1901-1954 (as does the Fermilab web site)
p. 25 - Early gaseous diffusion plants used semipermeable membranes to separate UF6 isotopes.
pp. 81-82: Capital costs dominate nuclear power plant construction.
p. 89 - heat output/mass of the sun is less than that of a human body (!)
p. 18 -- Dates of Enrico Fermi DOB/Death in figure caption may be incorrect: Wikipedia lists 1901-1954 (as does the Fermilab web site)
p. 25 - Early gaseous diffusion plants used semipermeable membranes to separate UF6 isotopes.
pp. 81-82: Capital costs dominate nuclear power plant construction.
p. 89 - heat output/mass of the sun is less than that of a human body (!)
July 16, 2016
A reasonable book about an important topic - let down by writing which resists being read.
Chapter 1: A new science is born
Chapter 2: A new technology is developed
Chapter 3: Thermal nuclear reactors
Chapter 4: Nuclear fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste
Chapter 5: Nuclear safety
Chapter 6: The cost of nuclear power
Chapter 7: Nuclear fusion power
Chapter 8: The need for nuclear power
Chapter 1: A new science is born
Chapter 2: A new technology is developed
Chapter 3: Thermal nuclear reactors
Chapter 4: Nuclear fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste
Chapter 5: Nuclear safety
Chapter 6: The cost of nuclear power
Chapter 7: Nuclear fusion power
Chapter 8: The need for nuclear power
August 8, 2013
This is exactly what its title suggests. There was a smattering of the physics involved, a survey of reactor options, an overview of the issues, and a conclusion about its place among the other energy options.
I especially liked the parts about the state of the art and renewable energy's inherent inability to replace the other energy sources.
I especially liked the parts about the state of the art and renewable energy's inherent inability to replace the other energy sources.
July 3, 2011
Excellent concise overview of the science of fission and fusion, the different reactor types, the economics of nuclear power and the problems of waste. Editing could have been done a bit more carefully, probably a rushed job to hit the market after the Japan.
September 7, 2013
An admirable encapsulation of the background, needs and problems of nuclear power.... should be required reading for anyone concerned about the planet
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews