Video Transcript
Which of the following most
correctly describes what is involved in artificial processes that produce nuclear
radiation? (A) Transferring electrical energy
to energy of nuclear radiation. (B) Making unstable atomic nuclei
more likely to decay.
In this question, we are being
asked about nuclear radiation, and more specifically the process people undertake to
produce it artificially.
First, let’s remember that nuclear
radiation is emitted when unstable atomic nuclei decay. Nuclear radiation can be released
in the explosion of a nuclear weapon. Nuclear radiation is also released
in nuclear power stations.
In nuclear power stations, nuclear
radiation is released much more slowly. The energy of the radiation is used
to boil water to make steam. The thermal energy of the steam
becomes electric energy in a nuclear power station. We can see that a nuclear power
station has an output of electric energy.
Option (A) mentions an energy
transfer from electric energy, so is option (A) correct? It is very important to see that
option (A) refers to a transfer of energy from electric energy to the energy of
nuclear radiation. It is not the point of a power
station that it must be supplied with electricity; the power station is supposed to
provide electricity. Option (A) reverses what actually
happens. So, we reject option (A).
We saw that in a nuclear power
station, how quickly a nuclear radiation is released is carefully controlled. So, we see that it is possible to
artificially control how quickly nuclear radiation is released. Nuclear radiation is released when
unstable atomic nuclei decay.
To change how quickly nuclear
radiation is released, it is necessary to take radioactive material that normally
decays very, very slowly and do things to this material that make its atoms’ nuclei
more likely to decay. This is what option (B) says; we
accept option (B).
