Fission and Fusion

Today we're going to finish off looking at nuclear reactions and start preparing for the next topic - rates of reaction. Answer the following in your books:

1. Explain in one line what nuclear fusion is.
2. Give two reasons why fusion is not able to be used in power stations yet?
3. Read this article, and give three advantages of using fusion to generate electricity.
4. In a chemical reaction, what are the reactants and products?
5. Give three ways that you could change the rate of a reaction:
6. Why is the speed of molecules important to reaction rates? What happens if they don't move quick enough?
7. What is a catalyst? Why would they be good for industrial processes?
8. Use the graph below and your knowledge of catalysts to explain how a catalyst helps a reaction happen more quickly:

9. Try this activity to build your very own atom. What can go wrong?

HOMEWORK - Watch this documentary about the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and explain the steps leading up to the accident, and how it was fixed.

Radiation

Today we're going to catch on some of the radiation section we've already seen, and introduce some new topics. Answer these in your books:

1. Watch this animation and explain what can happen to living cells when they are exposed to radiation:
2. Briefly explain what is meant by nuclear fission. Use the picture below if you think you remember:
3. What is nuclear fusion?
4. Use the animation (and your knowledge of the subject) to give one similarity and one differnce between fission and fusion.
5. Describe what the numbers mean in this nuclear reaction equation: 
6. Describe how fission is used to generate electricity. Why are control rods important in this process?
7. What went wrong during the Chernobyl disaster?
8. Answer the following exam type question - 'Evaluate the use of fission reactors to generate electricity.'Make sure you include an intro, arguments for each side, and your own point of view in the conclusion.
9. Try this activity to build your very own atom. What can go wrong?