Nuclear Energy Assignment and quiz

Which statement about the waste materials from nuclear power plants is true? The waste gives off bursts of radiation over a short time. The waste produces small amounts of greenhouse gases for a long time. The waste emits harmful radiation for a long time. The waste generates a large amount of carbon dioxide over a short time.

The waste emits harmful radiation for a long time.

Which disadvantage of nuclear power use poses the greatest threat to the environment? the emission of greenhouse gases the proliferation of nuclear materials the storage and management of radioactive wastes the high cost of building facilities

the storage and management of radioactive wastes

Consider the following statistic. As of January 2009, the USA has produced 60,000 metric tons of nuclear waste in 60 years of operating 104 nuclear power plants. On average, how much waste is produced by each plant on a monthly basis? 0.8 tons per month 83.3 tons per month 104 tons per month 866.3 tons per month

0.8 tons per month

Describe three risks or disadvantages of nuclear power.

Did your answer include any of the following? Fuel for nuclear power plants is a radiation hazard to miners and other nuclear power workers. Nuclear waste requires long-term storage. Mining nuclear fuels can damage the environment. Human error at plants can lead to meltdowns, which endanger the environment and human health. Natural disasters can lead to radiation leaks. Though currently abundant, nuclear fuels are nonrenewable resources.

Write an essay to explain your position on whether or not nuclear power should be continued in the US. Support your position with specific reasons and justifications.

Did your answer include any of the following? Check all that apply. If you wrote that the risks are too great, did you support this with the risk of environmental contamination, human health hazards due to exposure to radioactive materials, and the need for long-term storage of nuclear waste? If you wrote that the benefits outweigh risks, did you support this with the efficiency of energy conversion, safe operation potential, lack of greenhouse gas emissions, and abundance of uranium?

What property of radioactive nuclear waste makes it so difficult to dispose of responsibly? It is extremely volatile. It has a very long half-life. It is extremely corrosive. It emits carbon dioxide.

It has a very long half-life.

Which statement is true? Nuclear power plants require more fuel than conventional power plants. There is a short supply of high quality uranium. Nuclear power is a nonrenewable energy source. It is difficult to responsibly dispose of nuclear waste products.

It is difficult to responsibly dispose of nuclear waste products.

Which statement would be a valid argument in favor of using nuclear power? There are few negative impacts from mining the fuel. Reactors are safe from natural disasters. There are little to no waste products from fission. Nuclear power does not contribute greenhouse gases.

Nuclear power does not contribute greenhouse gases.

Which are risks of using nuclear power plants to generate electricity? Check all that apply. Nuclear power plants produce highly toxic waste that breaks down very slowly. Nuclear power plants require undersea drilling that damages marine ecosystems. Nuclear power plants rely on complex control systems that can fail due to human error. Nuclear power plants require mining to obtain fuel. Nuclear power plants produce a great deal of smog and other air pollution even when functioning correctly.

Nuclear power plants produce highly toxic waste that breaks down very slowly. Nuclear power plants rely on complex control systems that can fail due to human error. Nuclear power plants require mining to obtain fuel.

Which are benefits of using nuclear power plants to generate electricity? Check all that apply. Nuclear power plants use renewable fuel. Nuclear power plants produce little to no greenhouse gas. Nuclear power plants produce a large amount of energy for a small mass of fuel. Nuclear power plants produce no toxic waste products. Nuclear power plants use simple power plant designs not vulnerable to human error or natural disasters.

Nuclear power plants produce little to no greenhouse gas. Nuclear power plants produce a large amount of energy for a small mass of fuel.

The following graph compares the greenhouse gas emissions from different forms of electricity production. mc024-1.jpg Which conclusion is supported by the information in the graph? Nuclear power releases less greenhouse gases than other forms of power. Nuclear power releases an average amount of greenhouse gases. Nuclear power releases no greenhouse gases. Nuclear power releases more greenhouse gases than other forms of power.

Nuclear power releases less greenhouse gases than other forms of power.

Which statement best describes control rods? They are unmovable pieces. They are inert. They supply neutrons to start the nuclear chain reaction. They drive the generator.

They are inert.

Which statement describes the function of control rods? They release neutrons during fission reactions. They undergo nuclear fission reactions. They control the rate of reactions. They directly convert water to steam.

They control the rate of reactions.

What is the direct function of the energy released from the nuclear chain reaction in a nuclear power plant? turning the blades of the turbine heating water to produce steam powering the condenser carrying electricity from the plant to consumers

heating water to produce steam

Fill in the blanks with the terms that complete the sentences about nuclear power plants. Without a critical... of fissionable material, a nuclear reaction cannot be sustained. The turbine is powered by...

mass steam

A generator converts ? to ?

mechanical energy electrical energy

If each fission reaction in a nuclear reactor emits three neutrons, how many neutrons are produced from three fission reactions? one three six nine

nine

Which energy transformation occurs in the core of a nuclear reactor? nuclear energy → mechanical energy nuclear energy → thermal energy thermal energy → nuclear energy mechanical energy → nuclear energy

nuclear energy → thermal energy

A nuclear power technician determines that the fission rates need to be increased. Which of these tasks will the technician most likely carry out? increasing the amount of fissionable material in the reactor shutting off the condenser increasing the speed of the turbine raising control rods from the reactor

raising control rods from the reactor

A benefit of using nuclear energy could be the abundance of uranium in nature. Which human risk about mining is the most important to consider? the use of a nonrenewable resource the location of storage of the radioactive waste the cost of setting up a uranium mine operation the health hazards that are associated with uranium mining

the health hazards that are associated with uranium mining

Which statement(s) correctly describe the fissionable material used in a nuclear power plant? renewable resource unstable isotopes source of thermal energy poses health problems

unstable isotopes source of thermal energy poses health problems