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Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations is a man-made source of background radiation - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 5
Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations is a man-made source of background radiation. 5.1 Give one other man-made source of background radiation. 5.2 Nuclear... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations is a man-made source of background radiation - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 3
Describe the process of nuclear fission inside a nuclear reactor.
Answer
In a nuclear reactor, nuclear fission begins when a neutron is absorbed by a uranium nucleus. This reaction causes the nucleus to become unstable and split into two smaller nuclei, releasing energy in the process. Typically, 2 or 3 neutrons are also released during this reaction, which can go on to initiate further fissions, creating a chain reaction. Additionally, gamma rays are emitted, contributing to the release of energy.
Step 4
Explain how the process of nuclear fusion leads to the release of energy.
Answer
In nuclear fusion, lighter nuclei, such as hydrogen isotopes, collide at high temperatures and pressures to form heavier nuclei, like helium. During this process, some of the mass of the nuclei is converted to energy according to Einstein's equation, E=mc², which results in a significant release of energy.
Step 5
Explain the advantage of the radioactive waste having a shorter half-life.
Answer
The advantage of radioactive waste from fusion power stations having a shorter half-life is that it reduces the duration of radiation hazard. Such waste will decay to safer levels more quickly, meaning it does not need to be monitored for as long as that of fission waste. Additionally, it can often be safely stored without the need for deep geological repositories.