1. Fission and Fusion are both nuclear reactions that involve the particles in the nucleus of an atom.

2. Chemical reactions involve which part of the atom? Which particle is used to start a nuclear reaction? Which reaction releases the most energy?

3. What are the two types of nuclear reactions? How are they different?

4. Chemical reactions involve the electrons in an atom where the nucleus remains intact. In nuclear reactions, there is a lot more energy involved than in chemical reactions.

5. Which part of the atom does a chemical reaction involve? Which specific part? Which type of reaction releases more energy?

7. Occurs when a heavy nucleus such as U-235 splits into two or more parts and a large amount of energy is released. The reaction can be started by targeting a nucleus with a neutron. When the neutron splits the nucleus two or more smaller nuclei result and other neutrons can be released to strike other nuclei.

8. Which characteristic is common among atoms that go through fission reactions? Name an example. Which particle is used to start the reaction? What happens after the particle hits the nucleus?

10. If any of the released neutrons hits another U- 235 atom, another fission reaction can take place. If this continues, a chain reaction occurs. In order for a chain reaction to occur, there must be a critical mass (a minimum amount) of fissionable material in close proximity.

11. When a fission reaction is sustained, what is it called? A minimum amount of fissionable material needed to sustain a nuclear reaction is called the…?

12. Fission is what is used in nuclear power plants, warships, weapons, etc. The mass of the products is smaller than the mass of the reactants. The lost mass (m) is converted into energy (E). The equation E = mc 2 shows the conversion of this lost mass to energy released. The conversion of mass to energy involved in a nuclear reaction is far greater than that of a chemical reaction.

14. Which type of nuclear reaction is used in power plants? How does the mass of the product compare with the mass of the reactants? Where does the missing mass go? Which famous equation shows what happens to the missing mass?

16. Occurs when light nuclei such as hydrogen fuse (combine) to form a larger single nucleus like helium. As in fission the mass of the products is less than that of the reactants because a large portion of that mass is converted into energy. Fusion occurs in the sun and other stars.

18. What is fusion? Where does it take place? (two places one good and one bad) What are the most common atoms involved? What is a common factor between the two types of nuclear reactions?

20. Forcing small nuclei to fuse into a larger one, requires a large amount of energy, but more energy is released than what is required to start the reaction. So far, we have not been able to reproduce fusion on earth in power generation.

22. Why would fusion be beneficial to us as an energy source? Why is it destructive on earth right now? What might be a fuel source?

23. Radiation Nuclear Decay Compound Nuclear Fission Chain Reaction Weapons Critical Mass Nuclear Fusion Nuclear Medicine Nuclear Power Reactors Nuclear