ENVS/Phys 105 Daniel W. Koon Fall 2009
FINAL EXAM Format & Content
FORMAT:
Part I: short-response questions which you will answer without any notes.
Part II: longer, numerical questions for which you may use a 3”´5” card with whatever handwritten notes you wish to fill it with.
CONTENT: Material from Chapters 12-16 covered in class, plus additional material presented in class.
YSBATs: For Final Exam, You Should Be Able To...
Without notes:
Define tokamak, plasma, isotope.
Compare the relative size of an atom and a nucleus.
Explain what atomic mass and atomic number mean. Be able to solve for both values for a nuclear reaction having one unknown component. Be able to solve for neutron number, given these other two values.
Explain why the periodic table gives non-integer values for atomic mass.
Describe the relation between activity, the number of radioactive atoms, and the half life.
State Einstein’s equation for the relation between energy and mass. Convert between the two.
Define binding energy and explain how it is related to mass, explain how energy created in fission or fusion relates to the difference in mass.
Explain why fusion and fission can both unleash energy even though they are opposite reactions. For what kinds of atoms does each one give off energy?
What is the most stable element in the universe?
Describe the basic difference between the waste products produced by fission and fusion.
Describe why there are so many different quantities for measuring ionizing radiation.
Describe the current state of fusion as an electric power source. Describe at least three schemes that have been proposed for using it to generate electricity.
Explain the Lawson criterion in your own words.
Describe two distinct chemical processes by which hydrogen fuel may be produced commercially.
Describe the three ways that hydrogen fuel can be stored. What are their relative [dis]advantages?
Explain why burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine is not the wisest use of hydrogen.
With notes:
Explain the relation between the two principal isotopes of uranium. Which is more common? Which one is fissionable?
Convert between mass and energy.
Explain a few differences between the construction of an atomic bomb and a nuclear reactor. Explain the role of water in a reactor plant.
Find the missing quantity in a nuclear reaction. Given a periodic table, determine what element it is.
For a dam: convert between mass/time and volume/time, between mass/time and height and power.
For a windmill, calculate the wind power as a function of volume flow per time and air velocity.
Compare the power between two windmills (a) having different size, (b) experiencing different wind speeds.
YSSBAT: You Should Still Be Able To...
Calculate the maximum efficiency of a heat engine as a function of temperature. Convert from Celsius to Kelvin.
Convert between different units of energy.
Calculate kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.
Convert between energy and power.