Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 9: Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Energy
1. Describe the charge and location of each of these particles within an atom:
a. Proton
b. Neutron
c. Electron
2. Label each of the parts of the carbon atom.
3. Neutral atoms always contain equal numbers of ___________ and
_____________.
4. How are atomic isotopes of the same element different?
5. What is radiation?
6. What happens to an atom undergoing nuclear fission?
7. What isotope was used by the first nuclear weapons?
8. What is released when a uranium atom undergoes fission?
a. What happens when one of the particles released by fission hits another nucleus?
Nuclear Testing
9. What effect did the Trinity test explosion have on the New Mexico desert sands?
10. What were the yields of the two atomic bombs dropped during World War II?
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 9: Nuclear Energy
11. Where did nuclear testing after World War II take place? Mark the spot on the map below.
12. What was the purpose of the Operation Crossroads nuclear testing?
13. How were the two blasts different?
14. What was the purpose of placing lab animals on the ship?
15. Why might Glenn Seaborg have considered Shot Baker the “world’s first nuclear disaster”?
16. What was different about the nuclear device tested for Castle Bravo?
17. Who was exposed to the fallout from the Castle Bravo explosion?
18. When Dwight Eisenhower gave the Atoms for Peace speech to the U.N., what peaceful goals did he
have in mind for nuclear technology?
19. How are nuclear reactors similar to fossil fuel power plants?
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 9: Nuclear Energy
20. Define each of these parts of a nuclear reactor:
a. Fuel Pellets –
b. Fuel Rods –
c. Control Rods –
21. What is the big advantage that nuclear power has over fossil fuels?
22. How much radiation is typically released by nuclear reactor?
23. Around when did the boom in nuclear reactor construction end?
24. Briefly explain the plot of the fictional 1979 movie The China Syndrome.
25. What was the primary issue that led to the 1979 Three Mile Island partial meltdown?
26. What is a meltdown?
27. What were the operators doing at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that lead to its full meltdown?
28. Describe the three design flaws that made the Chernobyl meltdown such a disaster.
a.
b.
c.
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 9: Nuclear Energy
29. How wide of a radius around the Chernobyl plant is now considered uninhabitable?
30. What natural disaster led to the meltdown at the Fukushima plant in Japan?
31. What animals have tested positive for radioactive fallout as a result of the Fukushima disaster?
32. Give an example of both types of nuclear waste:
a. High-level Waste –
b. Low-level Waste –
33. Give the three criteria used behind the decision to build a waste disposal facility in Yucca Mountain,
Nevada:
a.
b.
c.
34. Why was the Yucca Mountain facility not opened as scheduled?
35. Describe each of the alternative methods of nuclear waste disposal:
a. Transmutation –
b. Geologic Disposal –
36. About how much of U.S. electricity generation is from nuclear?
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 9: Nuclear Energy
37. List some advantages of using nuclear fuel as energy:
38. List some disadvantages of using nuclear fuel as energy:
39. Compare/contrast coal and nuclear fuel as sources of energy:
COAL
NUCLEAR
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