Question 1

In the nuclear reaction ¹H + ²H ·³He, how does the nuclear energy and the total rest- mass of the two hydrogen nuclei compare with the nuclear energy and the total rest- mass of the resulting helium nucleus?

Accepted Answer

In nuclear fusion, the resulting nucleus (helium) has less mass than the sum of the original nuclei (hydrogen), and the mass difference is converted into nuclear energy, making the nuclear energy of helium less.

Question 2

Suppose that you fission a sulfur nucleus, ³²S, into two fragments. Referring to the graph above, does this process convert nuclear energy to other forms, or is it vice versa?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

According to the nuclear energy curve, would fusion or fission or neither release nuclear energy from carbon [atomic number 6], and why?

Accepted Answer

Fusion of carbon would release energy because it results in a product with a higher atomic number and a lower nuclear binding energy per nucleon, which is typical for elements lighter than iron.

Question 4

Nuclear fusion is a process in which

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion is the process of combining two or more light nuclei into a single heavier nucleus, releasing a great amount of energy.

Question 5

The fusion of ⁶Li and ¹⁰N results in creation of 3 5

Accepted Answer

The fusion of lithium-6 and nitrogen-10 would result in the formation of oxygen-16, and energy would be released in the process, as fusion reactions typically release energy.

Question 6

Fusion is often called a "thermonuclear reaction" because

Accepted Answer

Fusion is called a "thermonuclear reaction" because it requires extremely high temperatures to overcome the electrostatic forces between nuclei, allowing them to fuse and sustain the reaction.

Question 7

Has a nuclear device ever been exploded by a terrorist?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Has a nuclear device ever been exploded...

Question 8

Centrifuge separation, a method of separating ²³⁵U from ²³⁸U, works because of

Accepted Answer

Centrifuge separation works due to the slight difference in mass between the two isotopes, which allows them to be separated when spun at high speeds.

Question 9

Other than radioactive decay, how can energy be released from the nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission are both processes that can release energy from the nucleus.

Question 10

Which of the following works best for fusing hydrogen?

Accepted Answer

Fusion of hydrogen nuclei requires extremely high temperatures to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between them, allowing them to collide with enough energy to fuse.

Question 11

Lise Meitner was

Accepted Answer

Lise Meitner was a physicist who, along with Otto Hahn, discovered nuclear fission, the process that powers nuclear reactors and atomic bombs.

Question 12

When ¹H and ²H fuse, the result is

Accepted Answer

When ¹H and ²H fuse, they form a helium-3 nucleus and a neutron, releasing energy. The mass of the resulting particles is less than the sum of the original masses due to the conversion of mass into energy, as described by Einstein's equation E=mc².

Question 13

The astronomical phenomenon that created the elements heavier than iron is

Accepted Answer

Supernova explosions are responsible for creating elements heavier than iron through a process called nucleosynthesis, where the intense energy and neutron flux allow for the formation of these heavier elements.

Question 14

When a hydrogen bomb explodes, hydrogen fuses to form helium. According to Einstein's mass- energy equivalence [that is, according to E=mc²], does this result in an change in the total mass of the material?

Accepted Answer

In a hydrogen bomb, fusion converts some mass into energy, resulting in a decrease in total mass, which is measurable.

Question 15

In order for a substance to sustain a fission chain reaction, one important condition is that

Accepted Answer

For a fission chain reaction to be sustained, each fissioning nucleus must release a sufficient number of neutrons to continue the reaction by causing further fission events.

Question 16

Which of the following works best for fissioning a uranium nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Neutrons are used to induce fission in uranium nuclei because they are neutral and can easily penetrate the nucleus without being repelled by the positive charge of the protons.

Question 17

In a fusion bomb, what initiates, or triggers, the fusion reaction?

Accepted Answer

A fission explosion is used to create the extreme temperatures and pressures necessary to initiate the fusion reaction in a fusion bomb.

Question 18

A "critical mass" is needed for a chain reaction because

Accepted Answer

A critical mass is needed to ensure that enough neutrons are available to sustain the chain reaction, as too small a mass allows too many neutrons to escape without causing further fission.

Question 19

In one popular type of fusion reaction, ²H fuses with ³H to yield ⁴He and

Accepted Answer

In the fusion reaction between deuterium (^2H) and tritium (^3H), a helium-4 (^4He) nucleus and a neutron are produced.

Question 20

One nuclear reaction that occurs occasionally in the sun is the fusion of three alpha particles. What isotope is produced by this reaction? NOTE: Atomic number 6 is carbon, number 7 is nitrogen, and number 8 is oxygen.

Accepted Answer

The fusion of three alpha particles (helium nuclei, each with 2 protons and 2 neutrons) results in the formation of carbon-12 (12C).

Quiz 15: Fusion and Fission: and a New Energy

In the nuclear reaction 1H + 2H ·3He, how does the nuclear energy and the total rest- mass of the two hydrogen nuclei compare with the nuclear energy and the total rest- mass of the resulting helium nucleus?

Suppose that you fission a sulfur nucleus, 32 S, into two fragments. Referring to the graph above, does this process convert nuclear energy to other forms, or is it vice versa?