Nuclear Power Quiz

Study Notes

Nuclear energy is created by splitting atoms of uranium in a process called nuclear fission.
When a neutron collides with the nucleus of uranium, an enormous amount of energy is released and more neutrons are freed up.
Those neutrons collide with more uranium nuclei, which continues to cause the release of huge amounts of energy in a chain reaction.
The main purpose of nuclear power plants is to control this chain reaction and convert the energy produced into electricity.
There are many types of nuclear power plants, but they all have a three part reactor core.
The first part are fuel rods. They're long, narrow tubes that hold small pellets of uranium or plutonium.
The second part is the moderator. Since only slow moving neutrons can initiate nuclear fission, but the neutrons produced as a result of the fission are fast moving, the core needs moderators, like graphite and water to slow down the neutrons.
The third part are the control rods. These allow the operators to control exactly how many neutrons are in the reactor core at any given time.
If there are too few, the chain reaction will end and energy will no longer be produced.
If there are too many fission occurs too fast and the amount of energy released increases until it can no longer be controlled.
This is one of the dangers associated with nuclear power.
After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, radiation released into the atmosphere forced the government to declare an evacuation zone around the plant.
More than 150,000 residents were evacuated from the communities surrounding the plant due to airborne radioactive contamination from the damaged reactors.
Large amounts of water contaminated with radioactive isotopes were also released into the Pacific Ocean during and after the disaster.
Nuclear accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima are one of the primary concerns with nuclear energy production.
When an accident occurs, it is highly likely that both people and the environment will be exposed to radiation.
A high level of radiation exposure can cause immediate death. Any exposure to radiation can cause damage to DNA and increase the risk of cancer and birth defects.
Another concern with using nuclear energy is the radioactive wastes. There are two types of radioactive waste to contend with.
Low level waste can usually be stored underground or in underwater reservoirs for a few years until they decay to a level where they no longer present a threat to people or the environment.
But there is still no solution for long term treatment or storage of high level radioactive wastes, and with over 450 operational nuclear reactors around the world, each requiring about 3.3 million fuel pellets every single year, we're talking about a substantial amount of high level wastes.
These highly radioactive pellets present a serious threat to human life and the environment that can last for tens of thousands of years.
In addition, in the United States and most European countries, the whole plant itself is required to be enclosed within a dome shaped containment structure made of steel reinforced concrete several feet thick.
The containment structure is designed to prevent the release of radioactive materials in case of an accident and to protect the reactor from efforts to deliberately damage it from the outside.

So, safeguards are in place and the high cost of nuclear power plants is due in large part to the amount and complexity of the safety features it is required to have in place.

Nuclear energy is a type of energy that comes from the splitting of atoms.
Nuclear energy is very reliable and constant, which makes it a good option for powering our homes and businesses.
Nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases, which can contribute to climate change.
Nuclear power plants can be located just about anywhere, making them a good option for areas with limited access to other forms of energy.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claims that nuclear energy is a significant part of the world energy mix and its use is expected to grow in the coming decades.