Miscellaneous
Nuclear Reactions
Half-Life
Fission
Fusion
100

part of the atom involved in a normal chemical reaction

What is an electron

100

DOUBLE: most penetrating form of radiation

what is gamma ray

100
What is half-life
Average time it takes for half the amount of a radioactive element to decay
100

The splitting apart of U-235 is defined as what?

what is fission



100

Two atoms that combine together and release a ton of energy in the process is defined as what? (this reaction happens on the Sun)

what is fusion

200

Part of the atom involved in a nuclear reaction.

nucleus

200
Three types of nuclear radiation
alpha, beta, gamma
200
Thorium-234 has a half-life of 24 days, started with 100 g how much is left after 48 days?
What is 25 grams
200

What type of reaction does fission result in?

chain reaction


200

Why isn't fusion used in power plants (hint: the Sun)?

required temperatures are too high

300

define transmutation


changing of one atom's nucleus into another atom's nucleus

300

Both Fission and Fusion reactions release massive amounts of what in addition to their respective atomic nuclei?

huge amounts of energy

300
Plutonium-239 is 24,110 years how much of 100 g remains after 96,400 years?
What is 6.25 grams
300

What is the beneficial aspect of nuclear fission? (2 answers)

  1. The ability to absorb energy
  2. The ability to produce more energy than nuclear fusion
  3. The ability to release tremendous amounts of energy
  4. There are no beneficial aspects of nuclear fission

2. The ability to produce more energy than nuclear fusion

300

during what kind of reaction can mass be converted to energy?

Only during a nuclear reaction

400

what is the difference between artificial and natural transmutation and name the nuclear reactions for each

natural happens spontaneously -- alpha decay, beta decay, gamma radiation

artificial is man-made -- fission, fusion

400

what are risks of using nuclear reactions for power?

radiation to workers; radioactive waste and pollution; uncontrollable reaction

400

Daily Double: As a sample of a radioactive element decays, its half-life A. decreases B. increases C. remains the same

 What is the total mass of a 10 gram sample of 42K that will remain unchanged after 12.4 hours? A. 2.5 g B. 5.0 g C. 7.5 g D. 10 g

C. Remains the same because half life is the time it takes for 50% of the radioactive isotope to decay therefore times does not change

B. 5 grams because only one half life occurred

We would divided the total time by the amount of time needed to achieve the number of half life.

12.4 hr /12.36 =1 half life

400

Fission of uranium-235 nuclei can produce _____ and other product isotopes.

A. hydrogen, oxygen

B. krypton, barium

C. water molecules, hydrogen

D. nitrogen, argon

B. Kr and Ba (smaller but large molecules from fission "splitting" reaction)

400

artificial transmutation is brought about by using accelerated particles to bombard an atom's

nucleus

500

List the types of decay in order of ionizing power (greatest to least).

alpha beta gamma

500

Productive uses for nuclear chemistry (name 3 isotope examples)

What are medicine, energy, food irradiation

500

The half life of Thorium-227 is 16 days, how many days are required for 1/16 to remain?

What is 64 days

500

What is NOT a benefit of a fission reactor?

A. Conserves Energy

B. Supplies plentiful energy

C. Produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses

D. Eliminates a megaton of sulfur oxides


C. Produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses

500

Compare and contrast fission and fusion.

both release high amounts of energy (fission higher); both are nuclear reactions (involve the nucleus); fission is "splitting" a nucleus, fusion is combining 2 smaller nuclei; fission happens in nuclear power plants and atomic bombs, fusion is only observed on the sun.