Chapter 15 Vocab

Question 1

A large atom of one element is split to produce 2 different smaller elements

Answer 1

Fission

Question 2

Two small atoms combine to form a larger atom of a different element

Answer 2

Fusion

Question 3

Contain different numbers of neutrons but same number of protons and electrons

Answer 3

Isotopes

Question 4

The sum of the number of neutrons and the number of protons in the nucles of the atom

Answer 4

Mass number

Question 5

The process of separating 235U from 238U to produce a material containing higher conecntration

Answer 5

Enrichment

Question 6

The 235U is highly enriched so the spontaneous fission of an atom can trigger a chain reaction

Answer 6

Nuclear bomb

Question 7

Slow down the neutrons that produce fission so that they are traveling at the right speed to trigger another fission

Answer 7

Moderator

Question 8

Long metal tubes loaded with pellets containing enriched uranium dioxide

Answer 8

Fuel rods/Fuel elments

Question 9

Become stable by spontaneously ejecting subatomic particles and or high-energy radiation

Answer 9

Radioisotopes

Question 10

The ejected particles and radiation

Answer 10

Radioactive emissions

Question 11

Radioactivity is measured in

Answer 11

curies

Question 12

Materials that become radioactive by absorbing neutrons from fission

Answer 12

Radioactive waste

Question 13

Radiaton exposure is measured as what

Answer 13

Absorbed dose

Question 14

The units of low level radiation exposure

Answer 14

Grays

Question 15

The units of high level radiation exposure

Answer 15

Sieverts

Question 16

The old term which equals 0.01 Sv

Answer 16

Rem

Question 17

High levels of radiation may destroy cell, causing immediate death

Answer 17

High dose

Question 18

The result of high dose which may lead to death

Answer 18

Radiation sickness

Question 19

In lower doses, radiation may damage DNA

Answer 19

Low Dose

Question 20

The process in which unstable isotopes eject particles and radiation

Answer 20

Radioactive decay

Question 21

The time for half of the amount of a radioactive isotope to decay

Answer 21

Half life

Question 22

Operation in which some radioisotopes may be recovered for use as a nuclear fuel

Answer 22

Reprocessing

Question 23

Used to store short-live isotopes

Answer 23

Short-term containment

Question 24

Used to store long-lived isotopes

Answer 24

Long-term containment

Question 25

Relies on operator-controlled actions, external power, electric signals, etc.

Answer 25

Active safety

Question 26

Involves engineering devices and structures that make it virtually impossible for the reactor to go beyond acceptable levels of power

Answer 26

Passive safety

Question 27

Lets gravity drain water into the reactor

Answer 27

The Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor

Question 28

Stepped up security measures at nuclear power plants across the nation

Answer 28

The Energy Policy Act of 2005

Question 29

occurs when the neutron bombardment causes the metals to become brittle enough that they may crack under thermal stress

Answer 29

Embrittlement

Question 30

A normal consequence of steam generation

Answer 30

Corrosion

Question 31

The closing down of a power plant

Answer 31

Decommissioning

Question 32

The fusion of hyrdogen nuclei into larger atoms, such as helium

Answer 32

The d-t reaction