Deck 7: The Fires of Nuclear Fission

Question 1

What type of radiation is given off in this nuclear reaction?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)neutron

Answer 1

beta

Question 2

Fission is the process of creating energy by

A)combining small nuclei to form a larger,more stable nucleus.
B)combining small nuclei to form a larger,less stable nucleus.
C)splitting large nuclei with bombarding protons.
D)splitting large nuclei with bombarding neutrons.

Answer 2

splitting large nuclei with bombarding neutrons.

Question 3

Which would contribute most to your annual radiation exposure?

A)living at an elevation 1,000 m above sea level
B)having a dental X-ray
C)living within 50 miles of a nuclear reactor
D)smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes per day

Answer 3

smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes per day

Question 4

Which naturally occurring type of radiation has the greatest penetrating power?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)neutron

Question 5

Which is the balanced equation for the fission of U-235?

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 6

Which naturally occurring radioactive particles are the largest?

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

Question 7

What type of radiation is given off in this nuclear reaction?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)neutron

Question 8

Which naturally occurring radioactive particles are the size of a helium nucleus?

A)alpha particles
B)beta particles
C)gamma radiation
D)neutrons .

Question 9

Which does not contribute to your annual radiation dose?

A)the type of structure you live in
B)the amount of time you spend riding in jet planes
C)the number of dental X-rays you get each year
D)the number of hours you spend listening to the radio

Question 10

If you have 200.0 g of radioisotope with a half-life of 5 days,how much isotope would remain after 15 days?

A)12.5 g
B)13.3 g
C)25.0 g
D)40.0 g

Question 11

Which of these is not a realistic risk associated with nuclear power plants?

A)storage of spent fuel rods
B)the likelihood of nuclear explosion
C)a meltdown from loss of coolant
D)thermal pollution of the coolant source

Question 12

How much energy is created from the conversion of 1.0 × 10¯⁴ kg of matter? (speed of light = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s)

A)3.0 × 10⁴ J
B)3.0 × 10⁷ J
C)9.0 × 10¹² J
D)9.0 × 10¹⁵ J

Question 13

If 1.8 × 10¹⁴ J are given off in a nuclear reaction,how much matter was converted into energy?

A)2.0 × 10¯³ kg
B)7.2 × 10² kg
C)6.0 × 10⁵ kg
D)1.6 × 10³¹ kg .

Question 14

Which naturally occurring radioactive particles are negatively charged?

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

Question 15

Which is the best critique of the following statement? "Radioactivity is so dangerous that we should do all we can to completely eliminate our exposure."

A)Absolutely correct.Radioactivity is the ultimate danger and we should keep our exposure to zero.
B)Not true.We should not fear radioactivity because it is a natural part of life.
C)Somewhat true.Radioactivity can be dangerous,but in some circumstances,exposure to it is unavoidable,so zero exposure is not a reasonable goal.
D)Somewhat true. Although any exposure to radioactivity is potentially deadly, there is nothing we can do to avoid it so we must be resigned to the risk.

Question 16

Which is a common characteristic of both nuclear and conventional electric power plants?

A)smoke stacks
B)fuel rods
C)water cooling systems
D)turbines

Question 17

You have a radioisotope with a half-life of 5 days.How many days will it take before the radioisotope is completely gone?

A)5 days
B)50 days
C)500 days
D)The isotope will never be completely gone.

Question 18

Which feature or process is unique to nuclear power plants when compared to conventional coal-burning power plants?

A)formation of steam
B)smoke stacks
C)generators
D)control rods

Question 19

In the famous equation E = mc²,the symbols represent:

A)E = Einstein,m = matter,c = speed of light
B)E = energy,m = mass,c = characteristic of the particle
C)E = Einstein,m = meters,c = conversion
D)E = energy, m = mass, c = speed of light

Question 20

The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years.If you started with 100.0 g of carbon-14,how much would remain after 4 half-lives?

A)25.0 g
B)12.5 g
C)6.25 g
D)57.3 g

Question 21

The fuel for both nuclear and coal power plants must be mined.Which miners are most likely to contract black lung disease?

A)coal miners
B)uranium miners
C)plutonium miners
D)Black lung is not a risk for miners of any fuel.

Question 22

Which is the biggest impediment to storing low-level radioactive waste?

A)lack of proper barrels
B)economic feasibility
C)lack of proper technology
D)political opposition

Question 23

Which fact is not important when drawing conclusions from C-14 dating?

A)Living organisms exchange carbon with the atmosphere.
B)C-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years.
C)Dead organisms do not exchange carbon with the atmosphere.
D)C-14 emits beta particles.

Question 24

Including fuel production and power generation,which type of power plant is responsible for more fatalities annually?

A)nuclear plants
B)coal-burning plants
C)Neither nuclear nor coal-burning plants may be connected to fatalities.
D)Fatalities are substantially the same for both nuclear and coal-burning plants.

Question 25

Which is not a benefit associated with nuclear power plants?

A)efficient production of electricity
B)reduction of CO₂ in the atmosphere
C)inexpensive to operate
D)helps reduce the levels of acid rain

Question 26

Which is not true of radioactive half-life? Radioactive half-life is

A)the time required for the level of radioactivity in a sample to be cut in half.
B)independent of the amount of radioactive material present.
C)increased by heating the isotope.
D)independent of the physical or chemical form of the isotope.

Question 27

Which best explains why the United States has the greatest number of nuclear reactors worldwide but one of the lower percentages of electricity produced by nuclear reactors?

A)Most U.S.reactors are not operational.
B)The United States uses more electrical power than most countries.
C)U.S.officials believe that coal-powered plants are more efficient than nuclear power plants.
D)Most U.S. reactors are more than 30 years old.

Question 28

What is the maximum one-time dose of radiation one can receive without suffering any detectable physiological effects?

A)≤ 25 rem (0.25 Sv)
B)≤ 50 rem (0.5 Sv)
C)≤ 100 rem (1.0 Sv)
D)≤ 200 rem (2.0 Sv)

Question 29

For safety reasons,high-level nuclear waste (HLW)must be contained

A)for 10 years.
B)for 100 years.
C)until it becomes low-level nuclear waste.
D)permanently.

Question 30

Which type of power plant releases more radioactive particles into the atmosphere annually?

A)nuclear plants
B)coal-burning plants
C)Neither nuclear nor coal-burning plants release radioactivity into the atmosphere.
D)The release of radioactivity at both nuclear and coal-burning plants is nearly the same

Question 31

Which country gets the smallest percentage of its electrical power from nuclear reactors?

A)Canada
B)France
C)Belgium
D)Spain

Question 32

Thermal pollution is possible at water sources near

A)coal-burning plants.
B)nuclear plants.
C)both coal-burning and nuclear plants.
D)neither coal-burning nor nuclear plants.

Question 33

Which is a characteristic of "surface" high-level nuclear waste storage that is not a characteristic of storing the waste in a geological repository? Waste in a geological repository is not

A)as easily accessible.
B)feasible.
C)secure.
D)safe

Question 34

Smokestacks at these plants release sulfur oxides and carbon dioxide into the air:

A)coal-burning plants.
B)nuclear plants.
C)both coal-burning and nuclear plants.
D)neither coal-burning nor nuclear plants.

Question 35

Which is the best critique of the statement: "Nuclear waste is nuclear waste.All nuclear waste is dangerous and should be handled with the same level of caution and disposed of in the same way."

A)I do not want anything nuclear buried in my backyard or even in my state if possible.All nuclear waste is extremely dangerous and there is no way to know what awful things it could cause in the future.
B)There are many kinds of nuclear waste and they are very different from one another.However the fact remains they are all natural and not to be feared.
C)Nuclear waste can be classified as high-level or low-level depending upon the relative quantities of radioactive material.While it is true that one should be cautious with both types,the risks and precautions are much greater with HLW.
D)Nuclear waste that is a problem is primarily produced by the military and they need to develop a safe way to dispose of this material. Non-military nuclear waste is not really a problem.

Question 36

Most high-level nuclear waste in the United States is currently

A)sealed deep within the Earth.
B)encased in glass and buried near the surface.
C)sealed in deep pools at the sites where it was produced.
D)stored at breeder reactors waiting for reprocessing.

Question 37

Waste created at these power plants must be stored indefinitely:

A)coal-burning plants.
B)nuclear plants.
C)both coal-burning and nuclear plants.
D)neither coal-burning nor nuclear plants.

Question 38

Which is not a suitable option for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel?

A)Seal it in deep pools.
B)Monitor it in storage near the ground surface.
C)Bury it deep within the Earth.
D)Seal it in a landfill.

Question 39

Which is true about radioactivity? Radioactivity

A)is used to treat certain cancers.
B)damages white blood cells.
C)deforms DNA.
D)All of these choices are true.

Question 40

Which is not considered to be low-level radioactive waste?

A)clothing for workers administering nuclear medicine
B)smoke detectors
C)spent fuel rods
D)radioactive pharmaceuticals

Question 41

What percentage of a radioactive isotope would remain after three half-lives?

A)6.3%
B)12.5%
C)25.0%
D)50.0%

Question 42

Rank the forms of nuclear radiation according to mass.

A)gamma,alpha,beta
B)beta,gamma,alpha
C)alpha,gamma,beta
D)alpha,beta,gamma

Question 43

Breeder reactors

A)convert spent fuel rods into useful fuel.
B)produce Pu-239,the radiation that cannot penetrate human skin.
C)produce Pu-239,which can be used to build nuclear weapons.
D)All of these choices are true

Question 44

The primary reason countries worldwide have turned to nuclear power for electricity generation is to reduce

A)the greenhouse effect.
B)acid rain.
C)their reliance on fossil fuels.
D)the damage caused by strip mining

Question 45

The greatest percentage of background radiation comes from

A)nuclear power plants.
B)medical X-rays.
C)living things.
D)naturally occurring radon.

Question 46

Which scientific law best applies to nuclear reactions?

A)Conservation of Matter
B)Conservation of Energy
C)Conservation of Matter and Energy
D)None of these choices is correct.

Question 47

Which is a known risk associated with nuclear power plants?

A)The electricity produced will be radioactive.
B)The water used to cool the system will become radioactive.
C)The workers will have higher risks for cancer than the standard population.
D)The cooling water source can suffer thermal pollution.

Question 48

Which is not a reason for the decline in the reliance on nuclear power for electricity generation in the United States over the last 30 years?

A)a lack of available nuclear fuel
B)the need for enhanced safety training for workers
C)the need to retrofit old plants
D)an increase in the required number of qualified personnel

Question 49

Which type of power plant releases the greatest amount of radioactivity into the atmosphere?

A)coal.
B)nuclear fission
C)hydroelectric
D)natural gas

Question 50

The rad (radiation absorbed dose)is defined as the absorption of 0.01 J of radiant energy per kilogram (0.01 J/kg)of body weight.What is the radiation dose for a 50 kg woman exposed to 0.85 J of energy?

A)0.085 rad
B)0.017 rad
C)1.70 rad
D)It depends on the radiation source.

Question 51

Which factor will oppose the growth of nuclear energy in the future?

A)standardization of reactor design
B)increased operational lifetime of reactors
C)shorter construction time for reactors
D)transportation of high level waste to depositories

Question 52

Which example is both a type of nuclear radiation and electromagnetic radiation?

A)microwave radiation
B)gamma radiation
C)alpha rays
D)ultraviolet radiation

Question 53

As compared to high-level nuclear waste,low-level nuclear waste

A)has longer half-lives.
B)is contaminated with smaller quantities of radioactive material.
C)includes spent fuel rods.
D)can be disposed of in landfills.

Question 54

In which organ does radioactive I-131 accumulate?

A)liver
B)pituitary gland
C)thyroid gland
D)adrenal glands

Question 55

Which radiation source is the biggest contributor to the average annual dose?

A)home building materials
B)food,air,and water
C)a nuclear power plant within 50 miles
D)fallout from nuclear weapons testing

Question 56

Which is the best critique of the statement: "Nuclear energy will save our atmosphere."? The statement is

A)true,because nuclear power plants do not pollute the atmosphere.We should replace coal-burning plants with nuclear plants and we'd breathe easier.
B)ridiculous,because there is no proof that our atmosphere needs saving.Why should we take on the nuclear waste disposal problem to solve a problem that does not exist?
C)true,because nuclear power plants release fewer pollutants into the air than coal-burning plants.However,it is also false because we have no information indicating what percentage of coal-burning plants would have to be replaced with nuclear plants to make a significant difference.
D)false, because it is not clear that there is an atmospheric problem. If there is a problem, it cannot be as bad as the potential danger of expanding the nuclear threat on this planet with more nuclear power plants.

Question 57

Which factor will support the growth of nuclear energy in the future?

A)smaller,more efficient reactor design
B)a ban on the use and development of breeder reactors
C)tax incentives for the oil and gas industry
D)high cost of new, safer technology

Question 58

The annual radiation dose for most citizens of the United States is between

A)0 to 0.10 Sv.
B)0.10 to 0.25 Sv.
C)0.25 to 0.50 Sv.
D)0.50 to 1.0 Sv.

Question 59

Which form of radiation has the highest Q factor?

A)UV radiation
B)alpha particles
C)beta particles
D)X-rays

Question 60

Approximately what percentage of the electrical energy generated in the United States is produced from nuclear energy?

A)< 2%
B)10%
C)20%
D)50%.

Question 61

Although the nuclear reactors used to produce electricity do not release carbon dioxide,nuclear energy is still responsible for the release of this greenhouse gas.Which activity probably does not contribute largely to the carbon dioxide released by nuclear power generation.

A)mining and production of uranium fuel rods
B)transportation of nuclear fuel and waste
C)construction of the nuclear reactor facility
D)cooling of the secondary coolant by a large reservoir of water

Question 62

Which of the following is usually consumed in a breeder reactor?

A)Pu-239
B)U-235
C)C-14
D)U-238

Question 63

What is the most common radioactive element in our food?

A)(²³Mg)
B)(⁴⁰K)
C)(¹³¹I)
D)(⁹⁰Sr)

Question 64

Weapons-grade uranium is

A)30% U-235
B)60% U-235
C)90% U-235
D)90% U-239

Question 65

Which of the following fission products released from the Chernobyl reactor is dangerous because it concentrates in bones?

A)I-131
B)Sr-90
C)C-14
D)U-238

Question 66

What is vitrification?

A)Spent fuel elements or other mixed waste are encased in ceramic or glass.
B)Spent fuel elements or other mixed waste are shot into space.
C)Spent fuel elements or other mixed waste are buried beneath the ocean floor.
D)Spent fuel elements or other mixed waste are deposited in Nevada.

Question 67

Radon-222

A)is a radioactive gas produced from the decay of radium
B)is naturally occurring
C)is the largest contributor to background radiation
D)all of the above

Question 68

A breeder reactor produces which nuclear fuel?

A)(²³⁹Pu)
B)(²³⁸U)
C)(¹⁴¹Ba)
D)(²³⁵U)

Question 69

The radioactive decay series of ²³⁸U terminates at which nonradioactive isotope?

A)(²¹⁰Tl)
B)(²¹⁰Bi)
C)(²⁰⁶Pb)
D)(¹⁴⁴Ba)

Question 70

Is nuclear power generation associated with producing greenhouse gases?

A)No,it is greenhouse gas emissions free.
B)Yes,but not from the power plants,only from obtaining fuel.
C)Yes,they produce as much or more greenhouse gas as a coal plant.

Question 71

Which of the following has the longest half-life?

A)U-238
B)U-235
C)C-14
D)Pu-231

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT being considered for a "next generation" of nuclear core coolant?

A)Lead
B)Lead-bismuth
C)Helium
D)Ethylene glycol