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AP Environmental Science Nuclear Energy

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

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

a)

Fusion

b)

Half-life

c)

Fission

d)

Fusion or fission

2.
Where does fusion occur naturally?
a)
Underwater
b)
All around us
c)
In the radioactive waste
d)
On the sun
3.
This is an example of...
a)
Fission  reaction
b)
Fusion reaction
c)
Decomposition reaction
d)
Combustion
4.
What is an advantage  of nuclear energy?
a)
radioactive waste
b)
no air pollution
c)
we will never run out
d)
it is the safest way to make energy
5.
Which type of power plant is this?
a)
Coal Power Plant
b)
Nuclear Power Plant
c)
Solar Power Plant
d)
Hydroelectric Power Plant
6.
What is the difference between a nuclear bomb and a nuclear power plant?
a)
Bomb releases energy all at once, power plant release is slow and controlled.
b)
Nothing much... pretty much the same.
c)
Power plant releases more energy, faster.
d)
One uses nuclear energy, one uses coal.
7.

Nuclear power uses ____ for fuel.

a)

steel

b)

coal

c)

uranium

d)

hydrogen

8.

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

a)

decay period

b)

period

c)

transmutation time

d)

half-life

9.

What controls the reaction within a nuclear reactor?

a)

Control Rods

b)

Moderator

c)

Containment building

d)

Reactor Vessel

10.

Three Mile Island differed from Chernobyl and Fukushima because...

a)

It wasn't a complete meltdown

b)

The core melted down

c)

Radiation was released

d)

Many people died

11.

Which of the following is considered the worst nuclear disaster ever?

a)

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster

b)

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

c)

The Three Mile Island Partial Meltdown

d)

The bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima

12.

Nuclear energy uses _____ to turn turbines to power a generator.

a)

wind

b)

water

c)

steam

d)

solar

13.

Energy is stored in the ___ of an atom.

a)

proton

b)

neutron

c)

electron cloud

d)

nucleus

14.
What are the two major forces involved with nuclear energy? 
a)
Fission and Fusion
b)
Alpha and Beta particles
c)
Gamma and Fission
d)
Radioactivity and Alpha Decay
15.
A radioactive isotope has a half life of 30 years.  At year 0, there are 400 radioactive atoms.  How many are left after 120 years of decay? 
a)
50 atoms
b)
30 atoms
c)
25 atoms
d)
12.5 atoms
16.

What process does the Sun go through in order to produce limitless energy for billions of years?

a)

Fusion

b)

Fission

c)

Alpha, Beta, Gamma

d)

Isotopic implosion

17.

Which of the following are often-cited reasons as the downsides, or "costs" of nuclear energy?

a)

long construction periods

b)

dependent on mining a finite resource (uranium)

c)

lots of safety concerns

d)

challenges with waste storage/management

e)

all of the above

18.

Nuclear energy is often cited as a partial solution to our energy emissions problems. Which of the following is NOT a reason given to support that concept?

a)

low carbon emissions during operation

b)

low ecological footprint

c)

lessen the effects of climate change

d)

lessen the cost of electricity

e)

minimizes risk to surrounding populations

19.

Of the three most pre-eminent nuclear disasters known around the world, what was the common theme across the failed systems?

a)

Failure of cooling systems

b)

Explosion from fission

c)

Earthquakes and tsunamis

d)

Deaths from radiation

20.

Nuclear power is a critical part of our energy future because it supplies fuel and sources of power beyond our electricity needs.

a)

True

b)

False