16 questions
When two nuclei are combined into one nucleus, there is a slight change in mass and the release of a large amount of energy. What is this process called?
conversion
reaction
fission
fusion
nuclear decay
nuclear fission
nuclear fusion
nuclear half-life
Even though nuclear fission has been used to produce electric power for many decades, nuclear fusion power plants have not yet been developed. Why is nuclear fusion not used to produce power?
Nuclear fusion generates much more energy than nuclear fission so it is much harder to control.
Nuclear fusion reactions only occur at temperatures that are much greater than those of nuclear fission.
Nuclear fusion can only occur in very dense places such as the center of a star while nuclear fission can occur on Earth.
Nuclear fusion can only occur in very dense places such as the center of a star while nuclear fission can occur on Earth.
Scientists are currently researching methods of harnessing energy from the fusion of atoms. The particle resulting from the fusion of the two atomic nuclei has less mass than the original atoms. Which statement best describes how energy is released in this process?
Mass is burned to create energy in the form of heat.
Mass is released in the form of electrons when the nuclei fuse.
Mass and energy cannot be lost, but mass can be converted into energy.
Mass and energy exist in equal amounts, and both are released by fusion.
One half-life is about 28,650 years.
Carbon-14 (14C) dating would be useful for one-million-year-old fossils.
The amount of carbon-14 (14C) will be undetectable in about 30,000 years.
The carbon-14 (14C) in the sample will begin to increase in 29,000 years.
Fusion of oxygen nuclei occurs in the cores of very massive stars. In one oxygen fusion process, two nuclei of oxygen-16 fuse to form helium-4 and a second, larger atomic nucleus. What is the other product of this fusion process?
silicon-28
silicon-30
sulfur-32
sulfur-34
One kilogram of uranium can produce as much energy as 16,000 kilograms of coal. Why is the energy output for uranium so much greater than the energy output for coal?
Uranium undergoes many more steps of purification than coal does before it is used in reactions.
Uranium is a highly reactive metal that reacts violently with oxygen during combustion.
Uranium undergoes fission, and nuclear reactions give off more energy than chemical reactions.
Uranium is extremely radioactive and gives off higher electromagnetic radiation than burning coal.
When carbon and helium atoms undergo fusion, oxygen and one neutron are produced. The total mass of the products is less than the total mass of the carbon and helium that combine. Which statement best explains the decrease in the total mass?
Two atoms are combined to form one atom.
Some of the mass is lost as undetectable particles.
Some of the mass was used up during the reaction.
The difference in mass was transformed into energy.
A carbon nucleus has a total mass of 12.0000 amu. When the individual masses of the particles in the nucleus are added separately, the total mass is 12.0956 amu. What is the reason for the difference in masses?
Mass is converted into chemical energy.
Mass is converted into the nuclear binding energy.
Nuclear radiation has been given off in the form of small particles.
Each particle gains an electron when separated, increasing the mass.
ionic bonding
nuclear fusion
radioactive decay
chemical decomposition
Radioactive isotopes of elements can be used in medicine to diagnose and treat disease. Which statement describes how a stable isotope is different from a radioactive isotope of that element?
A radioactive isotope has a stable nucleus containing extra protons.
A radioactive isotope has a stable nucleus that absorbs smaller particles.
A radioactive isotope has an unstable nucleus that emits smaller particles.
A radioactive isotope has an unstable nucleus that becomes larger over time.
1
2
5
10
When some subatomic particles split from each other, energy is released. What kind of energy is this?
chemical
electrical
mechanical
nuclear
Half of a sample of cobalt-60 decays after 5.26 years to form atoms of another element. Half of a sample of iodine-131 decays after 8.1 days to form atoms of another element. Which bestexplains this difference?
Iodine-131 has a smaller atomic number than cobalt-60.
Iodine-131 has half the radioactive energy of cobalt-60.
Iodine-131 has a smaller atomic mass than cobalt-60.
Iodine-131 has a shorter half-life than cobalt-60.