Flashcards in Chapter 15 Vocab Deck (32)
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1
A large atom of one element is split to produce 2 different smaller elements
Fission
2
Two small atoms combine to form a larger atom of a different element
Fusion
3
Contain different numbers of neutrons but same number of protons and electrons
Isotopes
4
The sum of the number of neutrons and the number of protons in the nucles of the atom
Mass number
5
The process of separating 235U from 238U to produce a material containing higher conecntration
Enrichment
6
The 235U is highly enriched so the spontaneous fission of an atom can trigger a chain reaction
Nuclear bomb
7
Slow down the neutrons that produce fission so that they are traveling at the right speed to trigger another fission
Moderator
8
Long metal tubes loaded with pellets containing enriched uranium dioxide
Fuel rods/Fuel elments
9
Become stable by spontaneously ejecting subatomic particles and or high-energy radiation
Radioisotopes
10
The ejected particles and radiation
Radioactive emissions
11
Radioactivity is measured in
curies
12
Materials that become radioactive by absorbing neutrons from fission
Radioactive waste
13
Radiaton exposure is measured as what
Absorbed dose
14
The units of low level radiation exposure
Grays
15
The units of high level radiation exposure
Sieverts
16
The old term which equals 0.01 Sv
Rem
17
High levels of radiation may destroy cell, causing immediate death
High dose
18
The result of high dose which may lead to death
Radiation sickness
19
In lower doses, radiation may damage DNA
Low Dose
20
The process in which unstable isotopes eject particles and radiation
Radioactive decay
21
The time for half of the amount of a radioactive isotope to decay
Half life
22
Operation in which some radioisotopes may be recovered for use as a nuclear fuel
Reprocessing
23
Used to store short-live isotopes
Short-term containment
24
Used to store long-lived isotopes
Long-term containment
25
Relies on operator-controlled actions, external power, electric signals, etc.
Active safety
26
Involves engineering devices and structures that make it virtually impossible for the reactor to go beyond acceptable levels of power
Passive safety
27
Lets gravity drain water into the reactor
The Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor
28
Stepped up security measures at nuclear power plants across the nation
The Energy Policy Act of 2005
29
occurs when the neutron bombardment causes the metals to become brittle enough that they may crack under thermal stress
Embrittlement
30
A normal consequence of steam generation
Corrosion
31
The closing down of a power plant
Decommissioning
32
