Nuclear Energy

Fast neutron therapy is used in modern medicine to treat cancer that is resistant to other methods of treatment. To produce the neutrons needed for fast neutron therapy, a stream of protons is accelerated towards a mass of beryllium. This causes the beryllium atoms to release neutrons from their nuclei. The methods used to perform fast neutron therapy are an example of which type of reaction?

• Synthesis

• Fusion

• Decomposition

• Fission

Researchers have attempted to combine the nuclei of multiple atoms to generate large amounts of energy. To date, researchers have not been able to perform this process without using more energy than is generated by the reaction.

Which type of reaction are the researchers seeking to achieve?

• Synthesis

• Fusion

• Decomposition

• Fission

How does a nuclear reactor produce energy?

• Atoms, such as uranium, undergo fusion in a reactor. This

  generates heat which turns water to steam in a turbine

  which generates electricity.

• Atoms, such as uranium, undergo fission in a reactor. This

  generates heat which turns water to steam in a turbine

  which generates electricity.

• Atoms, such as uranium, burn in a reactor. This generates

  heat which turns water to steam in a turbine which

  generates electricity.

• We do not currently have the technology to harness nuclear

  reactions to generate electricity.

Scientists have continuously been searching for ways to create a system for energy production through fusion reactions but have been unsuccessful. Which of the following explains why it is still not a practical source of power?

• Fusion can create a huge amount of energy with very little

  fuel.

• Fusion radioactive byproducts have a shorter half-life than

  fission byproducts.

• Fusion requires a large amount of energy to force atoms to

  initially fuse together.

• Fusion reactions have virtually little to no risk of nuclear

  accidents.

Carbon dating is a process where scientists evaluate the

percentage of Carbon-14 atoms that have decayed to Carbon-12. The process of changing from Carbon-14 to Carbon-12 involves the atoms losing two neutrons.

What type of reaction occurs when Carbon-14 changes to

Carbon-12?

• Decomposition

• Single replacement

• Fusion

• Fission

What is a fission reaction?

• The process of splitting the nucleus of an atom.

• The process of combining nuclei to form a larger nucleus.

• The process of changing the physical arrangement of

  particles.

• The process of combining atoms together into a molecule.

What is a fusion reaction?

• The process of splitting the nucleus of an atom.

• The process of combining nuclei to form a larger nucleus.

• The process of changing the physical arrangement of

  particles.

• The process of combining atoms together into a molecule.

What types of reactions will produce radiation?

• Fission reactions only

• Fusion reactions only

• Both fission and fusion reactions

• Neither fission nor fusion reactions

The energy in the Sun currently is provided by a process that combines two hydrogen atoms to form one helium atom. In a few billion years, the Sun will begin a process combining three helium atoms into one carbon atom. This will cause the Sun to expand and cool to a red color becoming a red giant.

What process will the Sun perform when it becomes a red giant?

• Synthesis

• Combustion

• Fusion

• Fission

To discover if a cancer has metastasized, an oncologist might request a Positron-emission tomography (PET) scan be performed by a radiologist. The PET scanner detects gamma radiation emitting from a chemical injected into the patient.

Based on the information above, what type of reaction is

occurring when a PET scanner is used?

• Decomposition

• Fission

• Fusion

• Synthesis