Nuclear Science

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Explore the power of the atom, from fission to fusion and nuclear energy

1.
What is the process of splitting an atomic nucleus into smaller parts called?
A
Nuclear synthesis
B
Nuclear fission
C
Nuclear fusion
D
Radioactive decay
2.
What element is most commonly used as fuel in nuclear power plants?
A
Uranium
B
Thorium
C
Plutonium
D
Radium
3.
What process powers the Sun, combining lighter atoms into heavier ones?
A
Radioactive decay
B
Nuclear fission
C
Nuclear fusion
D
Chemical combustion
4.
Who led the Manhattan Project to develop the first nuclear weapons?
A
J. Robert Oppenheimer
B
Edward Teller
C
Niels Bohr
D
Enrico Fermi
5.
In what year did the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occur?
A
1986
B
1989
C
1979
D
1982
6.
What does a Geiger counter detect?
A
Sound waves
B
Radiation
C
Electrical current
D
Magnetic fields
7.
Which scientist discovered radioactivity in 1896?
A
Ernest Rutherford
B
Henri Becquerel
C
Marie Curie
D
Wilhelm Röntgen
8.
What is the half-life of a radioactive substance?
A
The midpoint of a nuclear reaction
B
Half the energy released
C
The time it takes to lose all radioactivity
D
The time for half the atoms to decay
9.
Which type of radiation can be stopped by a sheet of paper?
A
Alpha particles
B
Beta particles
C
Gamma rays
D
X-rays
10.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 was triggered by what natural event?
A
Volcanic eruption
B
Tornado
C
Earthquake and tsunami
D
Hurricane
11.
What is the name of the first nuclear-powered submarine, launched in 1954?
A
USS Nautilus
B
USS Triton
C
USS Seawolf
D
USS Enterprise
12.
Which country currently has the most nuclear power reactors in operation?
A
United States
B
France
C
China
D
Russia
13.
What famous equation by Einstein relates mass and energy?
A
V = IR
B
E = mc²
C
PV = nRT
D
F = ma
14.
What is the containment structure around a nuclear reactor designed to prevent?
A
Release of radioactive materials
B
Power surges
C
Earthquakes
D
Flooding
15.
Marie and Pierre Curie discovered which two radioactive elements?
A
Plutonium and Neptunium
B
Francium and Actinium
C
Uranium and Thorium
D
Radium and Polonium

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