Nuclear Physics Quiz

What is the primary difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission?

• Fusion splits a heavier nucleus into two lighter nuclei, while fission combines two lighter nuclei into a heavier one.

• Fusion combines two lighter nuclei into a heavier one, while fission splits a heavier nucleus into two lighter nuclei.

• Both processes involve splitting heavier nuclei into lighter ones.

• Both processes involve combining lighter nuclei into a heavier one.

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DOK Level 1: Recall

Which of the following isotopes is commonly used in nuclear power plants for fission?

• Uranium-235

• Carbon-14

• Hydrogen-1

• Oxygen-16

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DOK Level 1: Recall

What is the term used to describe the time it takes for half of a radioactive substance to decay?

• Decay constant

• Radioactive period

• Half-life

• Isotope half

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DOK Level 1: Recall

• Chemical reaction

• Nuclear fusion

• Photosynthesis

• Evaporation

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DOK Level 1: Recall

What is an isotope?

• An atom with the same number of protons but a different number of electrons.

• An atom with the same number of neutrons but a different number of protons.

• An atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

• An atom that has lost or gained an electron.

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DOK Level 1: Recall

In nuclear fission, what is typically used to initiate the chain reaction?

• A neutron

• A proton

• An electron

• A photon

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

How does the sun produce energy?

• Chemical reactions

• Nuclear fission

• Nuclear fusion

• Magnetic confinement

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

What does the half-life of a radioactive isotope indicate?

• The time it takes for all of the isotope to decay into another element

• The time it takes for one-fourth of the isotope to decay

• The time it takes for half of the isotope to decay

• The time it takes for the isotope to double its radioactivity

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Which of the following is a common product of radioactive decay?

• Helium

• Oxygen

• Nitrogen

• Carbon dioxide

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

What role do control rods play in a nuclear reactor?

• They speed up the nuclear reaction.

• They absorb neutrons to control the rate of the fission reaction.

• They generate electricity.

• They cool down the reactor core.

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept