Summarize statistical paper - Essay Example

To convert mass into energy one needs to cause mass defect by fission of heavy nuclides like U235 and Pu239; which is done inside a nuclear reactor using nuclear fuel elements. In this process, lot of radioactive waste is generated, which needs to be stored safely for very long periods of time (thousands of years). However, there is no precedence available on safe storage of such materials over such a period of time; therefore, whatever is the existing knowledge level is utilized for this purpose.

These radioactive wastes are stored in a sealed metallic canisters and these canisters are then stored in repository considered to be safe. However, the incidents of activity leakage do occur and there are certain causes of the leakage and certain probability associated with the causes of leakage and to the activity leakage itself. It is therefore, relevant to understand probability. There are outcomes of any event; like if a coin is tossed it will end up with either a head or a tail. With each outcome there is an associated probability or a chance.

As there are only two possible outcomes of this event and each of the outcomes is equally likely, therefore, the probability of getting either a head or a tail is ½. Similarly one can extend the outcome and say that for a unbiased dice; chances of getting either of the six numbers is 1/6. These arguments can be extended further to calculate probability of different outcomes associated with an event. Probabilities are very important in modern day life as application of this concept is embedded in almost every sphere of our life.

Let us proceed further to discuss somewhat complex situation. Let us take an example in which three plates R, G and B are kept in a box and each of the three plates is having identical sized balls of colors Red, Green and Black respectively. If a person is asked to draw a ball from this box, without looking inside the box, then probability that he draws a ball from either of the plates R,