Question 1

In what ways might a country's nuclear power industry assist that country in obtaining nuclear weapons?

Accepted Answer

A)   by enriching uranium.
B)   by producing plutonium in nuclear reactors
C)   by providing the knowledge that is essential to building nuclear weapons
D)   All of the above.
E)   Actually, there is little connection between nuclear power and nuclear weapons.F) B) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 2

Which of the following is most likely to encourage nuclear weapons proliferation?

Accepted Answer

A)   recycling of plutonium
B)   mining of uranium
C)   mass production of frozen pizza.
D)   storage of used nuclear fuel rods
E)   fabrication [i.e., production] of reactor fuels pellets and fuel rodsF) B) and E)
G) All of the above

Question 3

The combustion product that is created in the largest amounts by a coal- burning generating plant is

Accepted Answer

A)   acids of sulfur and nitrogen, most of which is filtered out of the exhaust gases and disposed of as solid waste.
B)   laughing gas, which is why Americans are so silly.
C)   carbon dioxide, most of which is filtered out of the exhaust gases and disposed of as solid waste.
D)   acids of sulfur and nitrogen, which go up the plant's stack and into the atmosphere.
E)   carbon dioxide, which goes up the plant's stack and into the atmosphere.F) None of the above
G) All of the above

Question 4

Hydrocarbon fuels come from

Accepted Answer

A)   lava flows from volcanoes that erupted millions of years ago.
B)   hydrocarbon ores that are mined and then milled in order to extract the small fraction of hydrocarbon in them.
C)   the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago.
D)   Disneyland.
E)   the original geological processes that formed planet Earth billions of years ago.F) A) and B)
G) None of the above

Question 5

Which of the following is about as cheap as coal for base- load electric power today?

Accepted Answer

A)   solar- thermal generation of electricity
B)   wind turbines
C)   photovoltaic cells
D)   All of the above.
E)   None of the above.F) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 6

The percentage of 235U-- as opposed to 238U-- present in light- water uranium power reactors is closest to

Accepted Answer

A)   5 percent.
B)   90 percent.
C)   50 percent.
D)   25 percent.
E)   75 percent.F) B) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 7

How do coal power plants and nuclear power plants differ?

Accepted Answer

A)   One has a stack-- i.e., smokestack-- and the other doesn't.
B)   They use different fuels.
C)   Both of the above.
D)   One uses a cooling tower or a cooling lake or river, and the other doesn't.
E)   All of the above.F) A) and E)
G) All of the above

Question 8

The accident at Three Mile Island began when

Accepted Answer

A)   the control rods didn't insert properly.
B)   the moderator malfunctioned so that the reaction got out of control.
C)   the pressurizer ruptured [i.e., broke open] and there was no backup pressurizer to replace it.
D)   a water pump failed.
E)   the heat exchanger failed to operate properly.F) B) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 9

The type of fuel created in the breeder reactor is

Accepted Answer

A)   deuterium.
B)   plutonium.
C)   uranium- 235.
D)   uranium- 238.
E)   cow dung.F) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 10

The type of nuclear reactor used in the United States was originally developed

Accepted Answer

A)   during the Manhattan project.
B)   as part of the H- bomb program.
C)   for submarines.
D)   in Canada.
E)   by private industry.F) C) and D)
G) B) and D)

Question 11

Which of the following best represents the energy transformations occurring in a nuclear power plant?

Accepted Answer

A)   thermal ·nuclear ·electric
B)   electric ·thermal ·nuclear
C)   chemical ·thermal ·electric
D)   nuclear ·thermal ·electric
E)   nuclear ·chemical ·electricF) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 12

Today, the energy resource that supplies the United States with the greatest amount of electricity is

Accepted Answer

A)   natural gas.
B)   hydroelectric.
C)   nuclear.
D)   coal.
E)   oil.F) A) and B)
G) A) and D)

Question 13

During an emergency such as the Three Mile Island accident, neutron- absorbing rods are inserted into the reactor. What effect does this have on the thermal energy output of the reactor?

Accepted Answer

A)   It has no effect on thermal energy output, because nuclear reactors create practically no thermal energy anyway.
B)   Thermal energy output is unchanged for a few hours because the chain reaction takes a long time to die out.
C)   Radioactivity immediately ceases, reducing the thermal energy output, but fission keeps creating thermal energy.
D)   The chain reaction stops, reducing the thermal energy output, but radioactivity keeps creating thermal energy.
E)   All thermal energy output immediately ceases.F) C) and D)
G) All of the above

Question 14

It frequently happens, within nuclear reactors, that 238 U absorbs a neutron to become 239 U. This 92 92
Isotope then quickly goes through two beta- decay processes, which turns it into

Accepted Answer

A)   "237 Pu."
B)   "237 U."
C)   "241 Pu."
D)   "239 Th."
E)   "239 Pu.94 92"F) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 15

Which of these problems arise partly from coal- fired power plants but not from nuclear power plants?

Accepted Answer

A)   global warming
B)   acid rain
C)   Both of the above.
D)   nuclear weapons proliferation
E)   All of the above.F) All of the above
G) A) and D)

Question 16

Which of the following is a "renewable" resource?

Accepted Answer

A)   hydroelectric
B)   coal
C)   uranium
D)   None of the above.
E)   All of the above.F) A) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 17

Which one of the following in not one of the drawbacks to the use of coal, i.e., which of the following is false?

Accepted Answer

A)   Coal mining causes a large number of miner's deaths due to miner's diseases.
B)   Coal burning contributes to the greenhouse effect thus heating Earth.
C)   Coal mining causes destruction of the land.
D)   We will run short on coal resources before long.
E)   Coal burning causes pollution.F) A) and B)
G) None of the above

Question 18

The contribution of efficiency to U.S. energy services is

Accepted Answer

A)   larger than the contribution of oil.
B)   about as large as the contribution of oil.
C)   less than the contribution of oil but still significant.
D)   insignificant.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 19

The main difference between an incandescent bulb and a fluorescent bulb is that the incandescent bulb

Accepted Answer

A)   heats a wire by sending an electric current through it, while the fluorescent heats a solid powdery material by sending a current through it.
B)   uses electric current to heat a wire, while a fluorescent bulb sends an electric current through a gas.
C)   uses electromagnetic radiation to heat a wire, while a fluorescent bulb uses magnetic fields to heat a gas.
D)   heats a wire by sending an electric current through it, while a fluorescent bulb uses magnetic fields to heat a gas.
E)   sends an electric current through a gas while the fluorescent bulb heats a thin wire electrically.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 20

Which of the following best represents the energy transformations occurring in a photovoltaic cell?

Accepted Answer

A)   electric ·radiant
B)   thermal ·radiant ·electric
C)   thermal ·electric
D)   radiant ·thermal ·electric
E)   radiant ·electricF) A) and E)
G) A) and B)

Exam 16: The Energy Challenge

The percentage of 235U-- as opposed to 238U-- present in light- water uranium power reactors is closest to

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The type of nuclear reactor used in the United States was originally developed

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The combustion product that is created in the largest amounts by a coal- burning generating plant is

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Which one of the following in not one of the drawbacks to the use of coal, i.e., which of the following is false?

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The accident at Three Mile Island began when

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The main difference between an incandescent bulb and a fluorescent bulb is that the incandescent bulb

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The type of fuel created in the breeder reactor is

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Today, the energy resource that supplies the United States with the greatest amount of electricity is

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Which of the following is most likely to encourage nuclear weapons proliferation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Hydrocarbon fuels come from

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In what ways might a country's nuclear power industry assist that country in obtaining nuclear weapons?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

It frequently happens, within nuclear reactors, that 238 U absorbs a neutron to become 239 U. This 92 92 Isotope then quickly goes through two beta- decay processes, which turns it into

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During an emergency such as the Three Mile Island accident, neutron- absorbing rods are inserted into the reactor. What effect does this have on the thermal energy output of the reactor?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is about as cheap as coal for base- load electric power today?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these problems arise partly from coal- fired power plants but not from nuclear power plants?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How do coal power plants and nuclear power plants differ?

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Which of the following is a "renewable" resource?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The contribution of efficiency to U.S. energy services is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following best represents the energy transformations occurring in a photovoltaic cell?

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Which of the following best represents the energy transformations occurring in a nuclear power plant?

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The percentage of ²³⁵U-- as opposed to ²³⁸U-- present in light- water uranium power reactors is closest to

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It frequently happens, within nuclear reactors, that ²³⁸U absorbs a neutron to become ²³⁹U. This 92 92 Isotope then quickly goes through two beta- decay processes, which turns it into

Correct Answer
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