Deck 11: Nukes the Fundamentals of Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

Chemical processes always involve the rearrangement of protons.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Elements in which part of the periodic table are MOST likely to be radioactive?

A)the upper right
B)the upper left
C)the upper middle
D)the very bottom
E)the lower left

Answer 2

the very bottom

Question 3

When an atom of uranium undergoes fission to make two new atoms one of these is _____ and the other is______.

Answer 3

barium-142; krypton-91

Question 4

The Richter scale measures the magnitude of_________.It ranges from 1 to ____.

A)tsunamis, 5
B)nuclear accidents, 6
C)earthquakes, 10
D)hurricanes, 20

Question 5

An isotope of contains how many electrons?

A)243
B)146
C)340
D)97
E)11

Question 6

Nuclear power plants are cleaner than coal-fired power plants.

Question 7

What is used to ensure that a nuclear reaction in a power plant does not overheat the reactor core?

A)a wind turbine
B)a chain reaction
C)control rods
D)the cooling tower
E)all of the above

Question 8

In any nuclear reaction, the number of reactant atoms of one element must match the number of product atoms for that same element.

Question 9

The number 36 represents the number of ________ in this element:

A)electrons
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)neutrons plus protons
E)protons plus electrons.

Question 10

What part of a nuclear power plants contains the fissionable material?

A)the cooling tower
B)the control rods
C)the transformer
D)the turbine
E)the containment building

Question 11

A natural form of radiation is

A)the radiation we receive from medical X-rays.
B)radon.
C)radio waves.
D)radiation from lead pipes.
E)all of the above

Question 12

Radon that is found in many homes comes from

A)the breakdown of nuclear waste that is continually being transported across the country.
B)ultraviolet radiation entering the home through windows and skylights.
C)the decay of uranium in rocks under or near the home.
D)the decomposition of compounds used in dry cleaning that are prevalent in most homes.

Question 13

Which 19^th century scientist is credited with the discovery of X-rays?

A)Marie Curie
B)Otto Hahn
C)Lise Meitner
D)Wilhelm Rontgen

Question 14

Radioactive atoms

A)will glow in a dark room.
B)will release energy or particles when their nuclei undergo reactions.
C)will have a given number of protons and neutrons that will not change over time.
D)all of the above

Question 15

A chain reaction

A)is a series of fission reactions.
B)is the sequence of reactions that occurs from one half-life to another.
C)is the sequence of decay events that causes a radioactive nucleus to become non-radioactive.
D)is the method used to safely dispose of nuclear waste.

Question 16

X-rays account for the majority of radiation that most people receive during their lifetime.

Question 17

Which of the following scientists contributed to our modern-day understanding of the atom?

A)Marie Curie
B)Susan Solomon
C)Gloria Manney
D)Richard Holmes

Question 18

The average person receives the majority of his/her radiation in the form of ____ each year.

A)X-rays
B)sunlight
C)nuclear medicine
D)radon
E)rocks and soil

Question 19

Which of the following does not decay to radon?

A)U-238
B)Th-230
C)Pb-206
D)Pa-234
E)U-234

Question 20

It is easy to determine the likelihood of radon present in a home based on its geographical location.

Question 21

Which of the following will block gamma radiation?

A)paper
B)skin
C)aluminum
D)a thick piece of lead
E)none of the above

Question 22

Are gamma rays more or less energetic than X-rays?

A)more
B)less

Question 23

Which of the following types of radiation is stopped by paper?

A)alpha particles
B)beta particles
C)gamma radiation

Question 24

If a person is exposed to a total of 5 rem of radiation per year, is this level below or above the level that causes radiation sickness?

A)below
B)above