Download Name: Period: ______ Date: Fission and Fusion Simulations Fission

Name: _______________________________ Period: ______ Date: _______________________
Fission and Fusion
Simulations
Fission:
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Movies/
Watch the Nuclear Fission movie first
1. What particles and how many of each does the reaction start with?
2. What particles and how many of each does the reaction end with?
Watch the Nuclear Chain reaction movie next
3. What happens to the neutrons left over from nuclear fission?
You may want to keep this window open, as you’ll come back to it later.
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/nuclear-fission
Click on the tab for Nuclear Chain Reaction.
4. Toggle so there is 1 single nucleus of U-235. Press the red button to shoot a
neutron into it and describe what happens.
5. Reset Nuclei. Toggle so there are 25 nuclei of U-235. Press the red button to shoot
a neutron into one and describe what happens.
6. Reset All. Toggle so there is 1 single nucleus of U-238. Press the red button to
shoot a neutron into it and describe what happens.
7. Reset Nuclei. Toggle so there are 25 nuclei of U-238. Press the red button to shoot
a neutron into one and describe what happens.
8. Which isotope of uranium is more stable, U-235 or U-238. Explain how you can
tell.
9. Which would be better for making an atomic bomb, U-235 or U-238. Explain why.
Click on the tab for Nuclear Reactor.
Click on the red button for Fire Neutrons. You may want to Reset Nuclei and do again
several times.
10. How many nuclei undergo fission? (You don’t have to count….describe)
11. What happens to the temperature? (You don’t have to come up with a number …
describe)
12. How much power is generated (look at the graph to the right. You don’t have to
come up with a number…describe)?
13. How much energy is produced (look at the graph to the right. You don’t have to
come up with a number…describe)?
Grab the control rod adjuster and move it down. Fill in the chart.
# nuclei
Power
Energy
Adjuster:
Temp.
undergo
generated
produced
fission
¾ down
½ down
¼ down
completely
down
18. How is what you’re seeing here like a chain reaction?
19. If having the control rods completely down produces the most energy, why have
control rods at all (what would happen if they weren’t there)?
Fusion
Go back to this page and watch the video about fusion
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Movies/
20. What particles and how many of each does the reaction start with?
21. How many particles does the reaction end with? How are these particles different
from what was started with?
Read the paragraph under the clip.
22. Why is it difficult to create fusion (IN YOUR OWN WORDS)?
See how Fusion in the Sun works.
http://www.universetoday.com/18707/fusion-in-the-sun/
23. What’s the pressure and temperature like inside the Sun?
24. Fusion in the Sun is known as a proton-proton chain. Describe this.
25. How much hydrogen is being fused every second?
26. What are some of the things released by this reaction?
Fusion and the Periodic Table
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EpcUohHees
27. What is nucleosynthesis?
Describe (not just name) the three kinds of nucleosynthesis:
28.
29.
30.
31. Where did all our hydrogen and helium come from? (also note what time….)
32. Where does stellar nucleosynthesis take place?
33. What elements are formed by stellar nucleosynthesis?
34. What has to happen to the star to fuse heavier and heavier elements?
35. Why can’t stars make elements heavier than iron?
36. Describe what happens to a star during a supernopva.
37. What two key characteristics happen during a supernova so elements can be
made?