Which of the following statements are true?
Fusion reactions result in nuclei with higher Z.
To keep a nuclear power plant going, a chain reaction must be maintained.
Nuclear fusion produces no long-lived radioactive by-products.
The Sun is a nuclear fusion reactor.
I tried true, false, false, true and my teacher said that this was incorrect. Please help
1;2;;4; So I think your second one is incorrect. Consider fusion of two hydrogent to make Helium
just for clarification. 1, 2, and 4 are true
"Nuclear fusion produces no long-lived radioactive by-products. "
Perhaps it depends on wht you mean by 'long lived' and if only by-products from the actual fusion are considered. There are disposal considerations for radioactive waste from fusion.
For info on fusion see the JET web site.
I would have put
T,T,F,T
1 is somewhat vague. Assuming that 1 is referring to a fission plant that is producing energy by fission. A fission plant will still produce heat/energy from decay heat, i.e. with out maintaining a chain reaction. This is a problem with the Japanese reactors, which are producing lots of decay heat.
To determine the correct answers to the given statements, let's evaluate each one individually:
1. Fusion reactions result in nuclei with higher Z: This statement is False. Fusion reactions result in the combining of lighter atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei, which usually have a higher mass number (A). However, fusion reactions do not necessarily result in nuclei with higher atomic number (Z).
To arrive at this answer, you can evaluate the definition of nuclear fusion and its outcomes. Nuclear fusion is the process in which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. While the mass number of the resulting nucleus may increase, the atomic number may or may not change, depending on the specific reaction.
2. To keep a nuclear power plant going, a chain reaction must be maintained: This statement is True. Nuclear power plants utilize a controlled chain reaction of nuclear fission to generate heat and produce electricity. In a nuclear fission chain reaction, the splitting of one atom releases neutrons that can induce the fission of other atoms, leading to a self-sustaining reaction that produces a continuous release of energy.
To arrive at this answer, you can recall the basic principles of nuclear power generation, where a controlled chain reaction is necessary to maintain the sustained release of energy.
3. Nuclear fusion produces no long-lived radioactive by-products: This statement is False. While nuclear fusion itself does not produce long-lived radioactive by-products, some processes involved in nuclear fusion reactors can indirectly generate such by-products. For example, the neutron bombardment from the fusion reaction can activate the surrounding materials, and these activated materials can become radioactive.
To arrive at this answer, you can consider the potential effects and consequences of nuclear fusion reactions, acknowledging that while the reactions themselves are generally clean and produce less long-lived waste, other factors in a fusion reactor system can contribute to the creation of radioactive materials.
4. The Sun is a nuclear fusion reactor: This statement is True. The Sun is indeed a massive ball of hot, glowing gases composed mostly of hydrogen. In its core, the Sun experiences nuclear fusion reactions, specifically the fusion of hydrogen nuclei (protons) to form helium nuclei through a process called the proton-proton chain reaction.
To arrive at this answer, you can refer to the scientific understanding of the Sun's energy generation, where nuclear fusion reactions occur in its core, releasing vast amounts of energy in the form of light and heat.
So, the correct answers are: False, True, False, True.