Name __________________________ Per _______ Date _______________
Exploring Fission
Nuclear Fission
A. Go to the following website and scroll down to the “Radiation and Nuclear
Reactions” section. Answer the questions that follow.
http://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Chemistry/1/Nuclear-Chemistry/59
Radiation and Nuclear Reactions
1. Alpha Radiation (α) is the emission of an ______ _________ from an
atom's nucleus.
2. What does an alpha particle contain?
3. An alpha particle is similar to the nucleus of what atom?
4. Fill in the missing numbers in the alpha decay reaction below:
5. Beta Radiation (β) is the transmutation of a ________ into a _________
and an __________.
6. What particle is released during beta decay?
7. Fill in the missing numbers in the beta decay reaction below:
8. Gamma Radiation (γ) involves the emission of ______________ energy
(similar to _______ energy) from an atom's nucleus.
9. Are particles emitted during gamma decay?
10. What is an example of gamma radiation?
Name __________________________ Per _______ Date _______________
Scroll down to the “Simulated Nuclear Reactions” section on the page. Answer the
questions below.
Fission
11. Nuclear fission: reactions in which an atom's nucleus splits into ________
parts, releasing a large amount of ________ in the process.
View the “Fission of U235” video. Answer the following questions:
12. What is fired at U-235 that causes it to split?
13. What are the two daughter atoms formed from this fission?
14. Are these daughter atoms radioactive or stable?
15. When the two daughter atoms are formed, what two things are released?
16. Restart the reaction ten times. Do you always get the same daughter
atoms?
Nuclear Chain Reactions
View the “Two Types of Nuclear Chain Reactions” video. Answer the questions that
follow:
A: The Controlled Reaction
1. What is inserted into the reactor’s core?
2. What is its function?
3. Where would a controlled chain reaction occur?
4. Click on “Insert Controls Rods”. After the first reaction occurs, how are
proceeding reactions started?
Name __________________________ Per _______ Date _______________
B: The Uncontrolled Reaction
5. Uncontrolled Chain Reactions occur in ______________ _________.
17. How does the rate of reaction compare with the controlled reaction?
18. What two things are released from an uncontrolled chain reaction?
Fusion
19. Nuclear fusion: reactions in which ______ or more elements "fuse"
together to form one ________ element, releasing _______ in the process.
20. What is the example of fusion given on the page?
View the “Nuclear Fusion” video. Answer the questions that follow:
21. Write down each of the steps in the fusion process and describe what
happens. (Make sure to include the temperature of the plasma.). Note: the
“steps” are just the buttons that you have to click on to go to the next part
of the video).
22. What is a plasma?
Nuclear Power Plants:
A. Go to the following website to learn the design of a nuclear power plant.
http://www.alexislloyd.com/flash/nuclear.swf
Name __________________________ Per _______ Date _______________
1. Label the parts on the drawing:
2. What is the function of the following items in a nuclear power plant?
a. control rods
b. water
c. steam
d. turbine
e. condensor