Physsci2: Nuclear Energy

Front 1

alpha decay

Back 1

A decay process in which a nucleus gives off an alpha particle (a helium nucleus) and thereby changes to become the nucleus of a different element.

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atomic mass

Back 2

The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons in an atom's nucleus.

Front 3

atomic mass unit

Back 3

One-twelfth the mass of a carbon-12 atom. Approximately the mass of one proton.

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atomic number

Back 4

The number of protons in the nucleus of an element.

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beta decay

Back 5

A decay process in which a nucleus gives off an electron, and thereby changes to become the nucleus of a different element.

Front 6

electrostatic force

Back 6

A force of attraction or repulsion between two objects, one of which must be electrically charged.

Front 7

gamma decay

Back 7

A decay process in which a nucleus gives off a high-energy gamma ray but doesn't otherwise change its form.

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isotope

Back 8

A particular form of an element with a specific number of neutrons.

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nucleon

Back 9

Any particle that lives in the nucleus. Therefore, a proton or a neutron.

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radioactive

Back 10

A state in which a nucleus, or collection of nuclei, spontaneously breaks apart, giving off high-energy particles.

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radioactivity

Back 11

The emission of high-energy particles or energy by a nucleus that has broken apart.

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strong nuclear force

Back 12

The force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.

Front 13

transmutation

Back 13

A process that changes one element into another.

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binding energy

Back 14

The energy that binds together protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. This energy is created by the strong nuclear force.

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daughter element

Back 15

The element that remains after radioactive decay.

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half-life

Back 16

The time it takes for exactly half an amount of a parent element to decay into a daughter element.

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law of conservation of charge

Back 17

In a nuclear reaction, the total charge on the left side of the equation equals the total charge on the right side of the equation.

Front 18

law of conservation of energy

Back 18

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It may be transformed from one form into another, but the total amount of energy in a closed system never changes.

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parent element

Back 19

A radioactive element, before it decays.

Front 20

radiometric dating

Back 20

Using the half-lives of radioactive substances to determine the age of an object.

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biomass

Back 21

Plant matter, such as trees, grass, and crops, used to produce energy.

Front 22

chain reaction

Back 22

A series of fission reactions in which neutrons produced by one fission cause additional fissions to occur.

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controlled nuclear reaction

Back 23

A nuclear reaction in which the rate of reaction is limited to prevent it from getting out of control.

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critical mass

Back 24

The minimum amount of material required to produce a nuclear chain reaction.

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deuterium

Back 25

A hydrogen nucleus with one neutron and one proton, giving it a nucleon number of two.

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fission

Back 26

The splitting of a large, unstable nucleus into two smaller nuclei.

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controlled fission reaction

Back 27

A fission reaction in which one fission leads to exactly one additional fission.

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uncontrolled fission reaction

Back 28

A fission reaction in which one fission leads to more than one fission.

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fossil fuels

Back 29

Any forms of fuel produced from the remains of living creatures.

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fuel cell

Back 30

A device that converts energy from a chemical reaction to electric energy.

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fusion

Back 31

The joining of two small nuclei to form one larger nucleus.

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geothermal energy

Back 32

Energy that comes from heat deep within the earth.

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generation

Back 33

Each step in the series of a chain reaction.

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greenhouse gas

Back 34

A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect -- the warming of Earth's atmosphere due to gases in the air.

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inertial confinement

Back 35

A process that involves heating and compressing a fuel pellet to begin fusion.

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magnetic confinement

Back 36

The containment of nuclear fuel for fusion by a magnetic field.

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passive solar heat

Back 37

Heat that has been stored in thermal mass.

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photovoltaics

Back 38

The production of energy directly from sunlight.

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runaway nuclear reaction

Back 39

A nuclear reaction in which the rate of reaction is uncontrolled and generally increasing rapidly.

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tritium

Back 40

A hydrogen nucleus with two neutrons and one proton in the nucleus, giving it a nucleon number of three.

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wind turbine

Back 41

A windmill-shaped device that converts kinetic energy of wind into electricity.