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AP Environmental Science Energy

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

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.

Which type of power plant is this?

a)

Coal Power Plant

b)

Nuclear Power Plant

c)

Solar Power Plant

d)

Hydroelectric Power Plant

3.

Nuclear power uses ____ for fuel.

a)

steel

b)

coal

c)

uranium

d)

hydrogen

4.

What controls the reaction within a nuclear reactor?

a)

Control Rods

b)

Moderator

c)

Containment building

d)

Reactor Vessel

5.

How does the energy consumption in developed countries differ from that in developing countries? Discuss the underlying reasons for this difference.

a)

The energy consumption in developed countries is higher than that in developing countries due to lower standards of living, less industrialization, and outdated technology.

b)

The energy consumption in developed countries is lower than that in developing countries due to lower standards of living, less industrialization, and outdated technology.

c)

The energy consumption in developed countries is higher than that in developing countries due to higher standards of living, greater industrialization, and more advanced technology.

d)

The energy consumption in developed countries is the same as that in developing countries due to similar standards of living, industrialization, and technology.

6.

The __________ Revolution was characterized by a shift from human and animal power to fossil fuels (coal and oil)

a)

Agricultural

b)

Industrial

c)

Tragedy of the Commons

7.

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

a)

wind

b)

water

c)

steam

d)

solar

8.

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

9.

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

10.

Where does fusion occur naturally?

a)

Underwater

b)

All around us

c)

In the radioactive waste

d)

On the sun

11.

This is an example of...

a)

Fission  reaction

b)

Fusion reaction

c)

Decomposition reaction

d)

Combustion

12.

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

13.

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.

14.

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

15.

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

16.

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

17.

Energy is stored in the ___ of an atom.

a)

proton

b)

neutron

c)

electron cloud

d)

nucleus

18.

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

19.

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

20.

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

21.

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

22.

What is the primary source of energy for the Earth's climate system?

a)

Solar energy

b)

Geothermal energy

c)

Nuclear energy

d)

Wind energy

23.

Which of the following energy sources is considered non-renewable?

a)

Solar

b)

Wind

c)

Coal

d)

Hydroelectric

24.

In an experiment to measure the efficiency of a solar panel, which of the following factors is least likely to affect the results?

a)

Angle of the panel relative to the sun

b)

Temperature of the environment

c)

Color of the solar panel

d)

Amount of sunlight received

25.

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

a)

Combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus

b)

Splitting a heavy atomic nucleus into two lighter nuclei

c)

Conversion of solar energy into electrical energy

d)

Generation of energy from wind turbines