Fissionable substances in common use in nuclear reactors?
uranium-235 and plutonium-239
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What must happen in order for uranium-235 or plutonium-239 for fission to occur?
They must first absorb a neutron
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What happens during nuclear fission?
The nucleus undergoing fission splits into two smaller nuclei and two to three neutrons and energy is released
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What usually happens after a nuclear fission reaction?
The neutrons may start a chain reaction
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What is nuclear fusion?
The joining of two nuclei to form a larger one
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What happens when nuclear fusion occurs?
Energy is released in stars
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How are stars formed?
When dust and gas from space is pulled together by gravitational attraction, smaller masses may form and be attracted by a larger mass to become planets
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What happens during the 'main sequence' of a star?
The forces in the star are balanced within it
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What determines the life cycle of a star?
A stars size determines its life cycle
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Smaller stars life cycle?
Protostar --> main sequence star --> red giant --> white dwarf --> black dwarf
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Larger stars life cycle?
Protostar --> main sequence star --> red super giant --> supernova --> neutron star or black hole
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What produces the natural occuring elements?
The fusion of stars
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What distributes the elements made by the fusion of stars?
An explosion of a massive star (supernova) at the end of its life
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
Fissionable substances in common use in nuclear reactors?
Back
uranium-235 and plutonium-239
Card 3
Front
What must happen in order for uranium-235 or plutonium-239 for fission to occur?
Back
Card 4
Front
What happens during nuclear fission?
Back
Card 5
Front
What usually happens after a nuclear fission reaction?
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