All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What type of radiation is emitted during nuclear decay?
Answer: Alpha, beta, or gamma radiation. Different types have varying penetration abilities.
Flashcard 2: Which gas is used as a coolant in some nuclear reactors?
Answer: Carbon dioxide or helium. Non-reactive gases avoid corrosion issues.
Flashcard 3: What is the function of the secondary loop in a PWR?
Answer: To transfer heat from the primary loop to produce steam. Isolates radioactive primary coolant from turbines.
Flashcard 4: What is the unit of radioactivity?
Answer: Becquerel (Bq). Measures nuclear disintegrations per second.
Flashcard 5: What is the role of control rods in a nuclear reactor?
Answer: To absorb neutrons and regulate the fission reaction. Inserted or withdrawn to control reaction rate.
Flashcard 6: What is the function of the secondary loop in a PWR?
Answer: To transfer heat from the primary loop to produce steam. Isolates radioactive primary coolant from turbines.
Flashcard 7: What is the primary purpose of a nuclear power plant?
Answer: To generate electricity. Heat from fission drives steam turbines.
Flashcard 8: Identify one environmental impact of nuclear power.
Answer: Thermal pollution from reactor cooling systems. Hot water discharge affects aquatic ecosystems.
Flashcard 9: What is a meltdown in the context of nuclear power?
Answer: A severe overheating of the reactor core. Loss of cooling leads to fuel damage.
Flashcard 10: Identify one disadvantage of nuclear power.
Answer: Potential risk of nuclear accidents. Catastrophic failures can release radiation over wide areas.
Flashcard 11: Identify a challenge of decommissioning nuclear power plants.
Answer: Safe disposal of radioactive materials. Contaminated materials require careful handling.
Flashcard 12: What is the primary component of nuclear fuel rods?
Answer: Uranium dioxide (UO₂). Ceramic pellets stacked in metal tubes.
Flashcard 13: What is a pressurized water reactor (PWR)?
Answer: A reactor where water is kept under pressure to prevent boiling. Most common reactor type worldwide.
Flashcard 14: What type of radiation is emitted during nuclear decay?
Answer: Alpha, beta, or gamma radiation. Different types have varying penetration abilities.
Flashcard 15: Identify one advantage of nuclear power.
Answer: Low greenhouse gas emissions during operation. No CO₂ emissions during electricity generation.
Flashcard 16: What is a boiling water reactor (BWR)?
Answer: A reactor where water boils directly in the reactor core. Simpler design with direct steam generation.
Flashcard 17: What does the term 'half-life' refer to?
Answer: The time taken for half of a radioactive substance to decay. Fundamental measure of radioactive decay rate.
Flashcard 18: Identify a method for managing nuclear waste.
Answer: Deep geological storage. Isolates waste from environment for millennia.
Flashcard 19: What is the typical lifespan of a nuclear reactor?
Answer: 30 to 40 years. Design life determined by neutron radiation damage.
Flashcard 20: What is the role of a moderator in a nuclear reactor?
Answer: To slow down neutrons to sustain the chain reaction. Fast neutrons must be slowed for efficient fission.
Flashcard 21: What does 'enriched uranium' mean?
Answer: Uranium with increased U-235 concentration. Higher U-235 content enables sustained reactions.
Flashcard 22: What is plutonium-239 used for in nuclear reactors?
Answer: As a fissile material for nuclear fuel. Artificial isotope created from U-238 in reactors.
Flashcard 23: What is nuclear fission?
Answer: The splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller parts. Releases enormous energy when heavy nuclei break apart.
Flashcard 24: What is the function of a steam generator in a nuclear plant?
Answer: To convert water into steam using reactor heat. Drives turbines to generate electricity.
Flashcard 25: What is the primary fuel used in nuclear reactors?
Answer: Uranium-235. This isotope readily splits when hit by neutrons.
Flashcard 26: What is nuclear waste?
Answer: Radioactive materials left over from nuclear reactions. Remains hazardous for thousands of years.
Flashcard 27: Which process occurs in the sun's core?
Answer: Nuclear fusion. Hydrogen nuclei combine to form helium.
Flashcard 28: Identify a byproduct of nuclear fission.
Answer: Radioactive isotopes. Fission fragments are highly radioactive.
Flashcard 29: What is a thermal neutron?
Answer: A neutron slowed to thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. Low-energy neutrons more likely to cause fission.
Flashcard 30: What is a chain reaction in nuclear physics?
Answer: A self-sustaining sequence of fission reactions. Each fission triggers more fissions in a continuous cycle.