Energy from the nucleus Flashcards
Nuclear fission occurs when?
A neutron hits the the nucleus of Uranium-235 or plutonium-239 and two or three neutrons are released at high speeds from the nuclei
apart from neutrons, what else is released during nuclear fission?
Energy in the form of kinetic energy
What can the neutrons from nuclear fission then do?
cause further fission, causing a chain reaction
control rods do what?
absorb fission neutrons to ensure that on average only one neutron per fission goes on to produce further fission.
How can Nuclear fusion be brought about?
by two light nuclei colliding at very high speed
nuclear fusion produces what?
energy
what are two big problems with making a nuclear fusion reactor
- very high temperatures are needed
- the nuclei to be fused are difficult to contain
Radon is a gas that seeps into houses areas from the ground, what radiation does it emit?
Alpha radiation
give an example of a naturally disaster with a fission reactor.
either:
- Chernobyl
- Fukushima
Where is nuclear waste often stored?
in “safe and secure” conditions
what is a galaxy?
a collection of stars held together by their own gravitational pull
what was the universe like before stars formed?
a dark patchy cloud of hydrogen and helium.
how where stars formed?
gravitational pull of hydrogen and helium pulled them to make gigantic clumps which eventually become galaxies
what is a protostar?
a protostar is highly concentrated dust and gas.
what is the order of the life cycle of a low mass star?
Protostar —> main sequence star —> red giant —> White Dwarf —> black dwarf
