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