Radioactivity

Nuclear power plants rely on which of the following reactions to generate energy?

• Fusion
• Half-life
• Fission
• Fusion or fission

Where does fusion occur naturally?

• Underwater
• All around us
• In the radioactive waste
• On the sun

This is an example of...

• Fission  reaction
• Fusion reaction
• Decomposition reaction
• Combustion

Which of the following best describes the process of nuclear fission? 

• Splitting an atom's nucleus apart 
• Separating an atom's electrons from its nucleus 
• Fusing two atomic nuclei together 
• Splitting an atom's electrons in half 

Nuclear power uses ____ for fuel.

• steel
• coal
• uranium
• hydrogen

The time needed for half of a radioactive sample to decay is called its __________.

• decay period
• period
• transmutation time
• half-life

Neutrons released in a fission reaction can strike other nuclei and cause a 

• meltdown
• take down
• break down
• chain reaction

The three types of nuclear radiation in order of decreasing penetrating power are

• alpha, beta, gamma

• alpha, gamma, beta

• beta, alpha, gamma

• gamma, alpha, beta

What makes something radioactive?

• elements with an atomic number above 81
• an unstable nucleus
• contaminated sewage
• It decays over time

If the half life of a radioactive element is 100yrs, how long would it take for the radioactivity to reduce by one half?

• 200yrs
• 100yrs
• 50yrs
• 300yrs