fission and fusion Flashcards
The most abundant element in the Universe
HYDROGEN
An atom without any electrons is just a ?
NUCLEUS
This is formed after a supernova, but not if the star is very heavy
NEUTRON STAR
The process that makes stars smaller/contract
GRAVITATIONAL ATTRACTION
The plural of nucleus
NUCLEI
Main sequence stars that have about the mass of the Sun go onto this stage
RED GIANT
This kind of object is so massive, light cannot escape its gravitational attraction
BLACK HOLE
The force that acts on all matter to bring them together
GRAVITY
This type of substance cannot be split into simpler ones
ELEMENT
The longest stage of a star
MAIN SEQUENCE STAR
Nuclei that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are ?
ISOTOPES
This material (or plutonium) can be used in nuclear power stations
URANIUM
What is the heaviest element that main sequence stars make?
IRON
The charge of a proton
POSITIVE
The stage of a star before becoming a supernova
RED SUPER GIANT
This is made up of electrons and a nucleus
ATOM
The first stage of a star’s life
PROTOSTAR
If a red supergiant doesn’t become a black hole, it becomes a ? ?
NEUTRON STAR
This material (or uranium) can be used in nuclear power stations
PLUTONIUM
The opposite process of fusion
FISSION
This process happens in stars to release energy
FUSION
The overall charge of an atom
NEUTRAL
A large ball of gas in which fusion happens
STAR
A red giant becomes a ? …
WHITE DWARF
What is formed after a supernova, if the star is has a lot of mass?
BLACK HOLE
This is the stage of all stars after being protostars
MAIN SEQUENCE STAR
This is the next stage of a main sequence star with much more mass than the Sun
RED SUPER GIANT
The total amount of protons in an atom is the ? number
ATOMIC
What is the final stage of a star that doesn’t start with very much mass?
BLACK DWARF
This process can occur if more than one neutron is produced by nuclear fission
CHAIN REACTION
When 2 small nuclei join to make 1 larger nucleus
FUSION
The centre of an atom
NUCLEUS
Where fusion happens naturally
STAR
The total amount of protons and neutrons in an atom is the ? number
MASS
A particle in the nucleus with no charge
NEUTRON
The lightest element
HYDROGEN
The positively charged particle in the nucleus
PROTON
The process of one large nuclues spliting into smaller nuclei
FISSION
No electric charge
NEUTRAL
What slow moving particle does a uranium nucleus absorb to start nuclear fission?
NEUTRON
A white dwarf becomes a ? ?
BLACK DWARF
The explosion of this type of star throws new elements into the Universe
SUPERNOVA
The singular of nuclei
NUCLEUS
A different form of an element
ISOTOPE
The overall charge of a nucleus
POSITIVE
The stage of a star before a black dwarf
WHITE DWARF
The heaviest element that can be made in a star (that doesn’t become a supernova)
IRON
This particle and the neutron make up the nucleus of an atom
PROTON
The stage of a star before a white dwarf
RED GIANT
The stage of a star that leads to the creation of elements heavier than iron
SUPERNOVA
Elements heavier than this are only produced in a supernova
IRON
When nuclear fission reactions carry on (and may mutiply)
CHAIN REACTION
