Question 1

Infographic 22.3.

-Refer to Infographic 22.3. Explain why the mining of uranium ore is hazardous for the miners.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Infographic 22.3.

-Refer to Infographic 22.3. Explain why...

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT one of the causes of the high expense involved in nuclear power production?

Accepted Answer

This answer is the only one that states that nuclear fuel is more expensive than fossil fuels. The other choices all point to various costs involved in building, maintaining or decommissioning nuclear power plants.

Question 3

________________ provides the cleanest source of energy.

Accepted Answer

Nuclear energy provides the cleanest source of energy as it has nearly zero emissions and does not contribute to air pollution or climate change. However, it does have potential safety and waste disposal issues that need to be addressed.

Question 4

How can nuclear waste best be disposed of?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can nuclear waste best be disposed...

Question 5

Which president was the first to talk about the benefits of nuclear energy instead of its horrors?

Accepted Answer

President Eisenhower was the first president to talk about the benefits of nuclear energy. In a speech to the United Nations in 1953, he called for the peaceful use of atomic energy and the creation of an international atomic energy agency. He emphasized the potential for nuclear power to provide clean, safe, and abundant energy for the world. This marked a shift away from the focus on the destructive potential of nuclear weapons, which had dominated public discourse about atomic energy up until that point.

Question 6

Infographic 22.5.
 
-Refer to Infographic 22.5. The Fukushima plant was a boiling water reactor. Why did this make preventing an explosion in the plant after the earthquake and tsunami more difficult? Would it have been easier if it had been a pressurized water reactor?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Infographic 22.5.
 
-Refer to Infographic 22.5. The...

Question 7

What is one criticism of nuclear energy-development projects?

Accepted Answer

One criticism of nuclear energy-development projects is that some methods of power generation create radioisotopes that can be used in weapons. This concern relates to the risk of nuclear proliferation and the potential for these materials to fall into the wrong hands.

Question 8

Low-level radioactive waste ________________.

Accepted Answer

Low-level radioactive waste can usually be safely buried, has low amounts of radiation relative to its volume, and includes clothing and tools exposed to radioactive material. The United States currently stores low-level radioactive waste at three sites. Therefore, all of these answers are correct.

Question 9

Infographic 22.6.
 
-Refer to Infographic 22.6. Three types of radiation are given off by radioactive isotopes. Name each one, describe their penetration ability, and explain if and how they are hazardous to humans.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Infographic 22.6.
 
-Refer to Infographic 22.6. Three...

Question 10

Spent fuel rods are one of the wastes associated with the production of nuclear energy. Spent fuel rods are classified as ________________.

Accepted Answer

Spent fuel rods are highly radioactive and contain a large amount of long-lived radioactive isotopes, making them a high-level radioactive waste. They require careful handling, storage, and disposal due to their potential danger to human health and the environment. The other options do not accurately reflect the classification of spent fuel rods.

Question 11

A cost and benefit analysis of all our energy resources must include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A comprehensive cost and benefit analysis of energy resources must take into account all of these factors: environmental costs, monetary costs of kilowatt-hours, social costs, and risk assessments. Ignoring any one of these factors could result in an incomplete analysis and potentially skewed results.

Question 12

Infographic 22.3.

-Refer to Infographic 22.3. The process of generating nuclear energy produces hazardous waste at every step. Speculate on the hazards of milling and enriching the uranium.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Infographic 22.3.

-Refer to Infographic 22.3. The...

Question 13

The world saw some of the hazards of radioactivity after the United States used a nuclear bomb in WWII. From this event, we saw an increase in all but which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The increase in hazards of radioactivity after the use of a nuclear bomb in WWII did not lead to an increase in cardiovascular disease. The other options (radiation sickness, infertility, slow-killing cancers, and birth defects) are all well-established consequences of exposure to radiation.

Question 14

Radiation that leaks from nuclear reactors ________________.

Accepted Answer

Radiation that leaks from nuclear reactors is difficult to control, as it can easily spread and cause harm to nearby areas.

Question 15

Compared with coal-fired plants, nuclear power plants are more ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Nuclear power plants are more susceptible to natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis, which can lead to accidents such as the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Coal-fired plants can release particulates, gases, and pollute water, but they are not as vulnerable to natural disasters as nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants can also have containment measures to prevent explosions, unlike older coal-fired power plants, which had a higher risk of coal-dust explosions. Nuclear power plants do not contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect, as they do not emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during operation.

Question 16

Nuclear energy is considered to be a "clean energy" because of all but which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear power plants still require cooling systems, which typically use water, and therefore can still release warmed water into rivers, lakes, or oceans.

Question 17

Explain how using uranium as a fuel to produce energy is an advantage as far as availability goes versus the availability of fossil fuels.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how using uranium as a fuel...

Question 18

High cancer rates are observed in workers who mine U-235 because U-235 naturally decays into ________________.

Accepted Answer

U-235 naturally decays into radon, which is a highly radioactive gas that has been shown to increase the risk of lung cancer when inhaled over long periods of time.

Question 19

Accidents in the construction industry occur at a rate almost _______________ the rate of those in the nuclear power industry.

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, accidents in the construction industry occur at a rate almost six times the rate of those in the nuclear power industry.

Question 20

Where are spent fuel rods currently stored?

Accepted Answer

Spent fuel rods are currently stored in steel-lined pools. These pools are typically located on the grounds of nuclear power plants.

Quiz 22: Nuclear Power - the Future of Fukushima: Can Nuclear Energy Overcome Its Bad Rep

Infographic 22.3. -Refer to Infographic 22.3. Explain why the mining of uranium ore is hazardous for the miners.