Nuclear Power WebQuest A lot of potential energy stored in a very little package (the nucleus of an atom) Directions The forces of attraction that hold protons and neutrons together in the nucleus is the strongest force we know of. So much so that it is called the strong force. This means that when the nuclei of atoms are altered (split apart or smashed together), tremendous amounts of energy can be released. You will be reading an article online at HowStuffWorks.com to answer the following questions. Go to https://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm Answer the questions while reading through the various sections of this article. After you finish each page, click NEXT PAGE (at the top) or the page number at the bottom of the page. Questions 1. Why is U-235 (Uranium isotope with mass of 234 amu) a special element? What is it used for? 2 pts Answer: Uranium is used in nuclear reactors and is a rare element on earth. Uranium has three common isotopes. If the abundance of U is 0.01%, the abundance of U is 0.71%, and the abundance of U is 99.28%. 2. Describe nuclear fission and how the famous equation E=mc2 relates to this process. 2 pts Answer: Mc2 3. Sketch a diagram of a nuclear power plant and speculate the function of labels A through H. Each part is not explicitly detailed in the article, so use the diagram to give your best explanation of what each part does. Insert a photo of your sketch below. 10 pts 4. What is meant by the term supercritical? How does it relate to what’s being attempted when making a nuclear bomb (quick, explosive) as opposed to a nuclear power plant (controlled, steady production of energy)? 3 pts Answer: Critical mass is the minimum mass of fissionable material required to sustain a nuclear fission reaction. Next, free neutrons must be introduced into the supercritical mass to start the fission which benefits in making a nuclear bomb. 5. List 4 significant problems with nuclear power plants. 4 pts - Risk of a Meltdown, Weapons Proliferation Risk, Cost, Nuclear Waste 6. Go to http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb.htm. What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion? 2 pts Answer: Nuclear fission is little energy is needed to split an atom in a fission reaction and Nuclear fusion is high energy is needed to bring fuse two or more atoms together in a fusion reaction 7. Use the internet to help you find: a. 3 advantages to using uranium / nuclear energy 3 pts - 3 advantages of nuclear energy is that it does not produce carbon dioxide emissions. Low Cost of Operation. After the initial cost of construction, nuclear energy has the advantage of being one of the most cost-effective energy solutions available This study source was downloaded by 100000752500182 from CourseHero.com on 07-19-2022 22:48:51 GMT -05:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/95676109/Nuclear-Power-WebQuestpdf/ - b. 3 disadvantages to using uranium / nuclear energy 3 pts 3 disadvantages of nuclear energy is that it is too expensive to build despite being relatively inexpensive to operate, nuclear power plants are incredibly expensive to build and the cost keeps rising to accidents, producing radioactive waste, impact on the environment. This study source was downloaded by 100000752500182 from CourseHero.com on 07-19-2022 22:48:51 GMT -05:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/95676109/Nuclear-Power-WebQuestpdf/ Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
