Fission and Fusion Atomic Structure. QUESTIONS PAPER. GRADED A+

Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are two processes that release energy. (a) The following nuclear equation represents the fission of uranium-235 (U-235). Chemical symbols: • Ba = barium • Kr = kry ...

Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are two processes that release energy. (a) The following nuclear equation represents the fission of uranium-235 (U-235). Chemical symbols: • Ba = barium • Kr = krypton • = neutron Describe the process of nuclear fission. Use the information in the equation. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (4) 1 (b) Explain what happens in the process of nuclear fusion. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (3) Aston Academy Page 2 of 10(c) Fission reactors are used in nuclear power stations. Engineers are developing fusion reactors for use in power stations. Fusion uses isotopes of hydrogen called deuterium and tritium. • Deuterium is naturally occurring and can be easily extracted from seawater. • Tritium can be produced from lithium. Lithium is also found in seawater. The table shows the energy released from 1 kg of fusion fuel and from 1 kg of fission fuel. Type of fuel Energy released from 1 kg of fuel in joules Fusion 3.4 × 1014 Fission 8.8 × 1013 Suggest two advantages of the fuel used in a fusion reactor compared with the fuel used in a fission reactor. 1. _________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (2) (Total 9 marks) Aston Academy Page 3 of 10Nuclear power stations generate electricity through nuclear fission. Electricity can also be generated by burning shale gas. (a)  Shale gas is natural gas trapped in rocks. Shale gas can be extracted by a process called fracking. There is some evidence that fracking causes minor earthquakes. Burning shale gas adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Describe the advantages of nuclear power compared with the use of shale gas to generate electricity. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (3) 2 (b)  What is the name of one fuel used in nuclear power stations? ___________________________________________________________________ (1) (c)  Describe the process of nuclear fission. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (4) (Total 8 marks) Aston Academy Page 4 of 10(a) Nuclear power stations generate about 14% of the world’s electricity. (i) Uranium-235 is used as a fuel in some nuclear reactors. Name one other substance used as a fuel in some nuclear reactors. ______________________________________________________________ (1) 3 (ii) Energy is released from nuclear fuels by the process of nuclear fission. This energy is used to generate electricity. Describe how this energy is used to generate electricity. Do not explain the nuclear fission process