Nuclear Flashcards
What equation is Einstein famous for?
E=MC(2)
Which element provides fuel for a nuclear bomb?
Uranium
Who came to see Einstein and why?
Leo Szilard to write a letter to president rooseveld.
When was the letter written?
1939
Which two ideas did Einstein connect together?
Energy and mass
Why does a small amount of mass turn into a lot of energy?
Speed of light squared gives a big number.
How much energy is in a glass of water?
Enough to power London for a week
When did Einstein publish the equation?
1905
What is the nuclear fuel in the sun?
Hydrogen
What is his famous quote from 1935?
It is like shooting birds in the dark in a country in which there are very few birds.
Who convinced Einstein that a nuclear bomb was a possibility?
Leo Szilard.
Could natural radioactivity be used to make a bomb?
No it didn’t produce enough heat
What type of nuclear reaction was involved in the bomb?
Fission
Which particles were the scientists using to split the uranium atoms?
Alpha
What is the problem with nuclear fission in terms of energy?
You out in more than you get out.
What was the problem with alpha particles?
They’ve got a positive charge
What particle did Leo Szilard realise would work?
Neutron
And it would produce more neutrons
What did the nazis begin to do?
Stock piled uranium
Began a bomb programme
How long did it take for the letter to reach the president?
8 weeks
What are the similarities between fission and fusion?
- Both produce radioactive particles, fission produces more.
- both are nuclear reactions
- both produce great energy
What are the differences between fission and fusion?
- fusion occurs in the sun, Fission doesn’t normally occur in nature
- fission takes little energy but fusion requires high energy
- fusion releases more energy
What is fission?
Splitting a large atom into two or more smaller ones
What is fusion?
Fusing two or more lighter atoms together
What do control rods do?
Absorb neutrons and stop the chain reaction to proceed further.
