It takes thousands of years for radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants to decay to the point that they are no longer dangerous. these radioactive wastes are often disposed of by putting them into the ground. the site where nuclear waste is to be stored must be chosen carefully because any disturbance to the site, such as an earthquake, could cause the waste to leak out of the site and contaminate the ground and/or the water. in addition, other considerations, such as how close the site is to large centers of human population, and how close it is to important environmental resources such as wildlife refuges for endangered species, must also be considered in case leakage does occur. the question of how many people and/or important natural resources might be affected if there were leaks at a site is important.

imagine that you were in charge in deciding where a nuclear waste site should be established on a small continent about the size of australia. in the picture is a map showing several proposals for where the site should be and each one is indicated on the map by a square with a number in it. study the information given on the map and decide at which place the radioactive waste disposal site should be located.

a. which site did you choose as the radioactive waste disposal site? write the number.

b. approximately how far is this site from the nearest city?

c. how far is it from the nearest important environmental resource, such as a national park or wildlife refuge?

d. what is the risk of earthquake damage at the site you chose?

e. explain why you chose the site you did. discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the site and what you considered most important when making your decision about where it should be located.