Student Name:

Reflection Journal: Energy and Matter in Nuclear

Processes

Directions: Answer each “Reflection” question when it appears at the bottom of a lesson
page.

1. What is the strong nuclear force? What does this force have to do with the changes that
occur during nuclear processes?
There must be force that holds the protons and neutrons together. Because protons
are positively charged and they will push apart from one another as for nucleus stays
together.

2. Describe how nuclear fusion can contribute to nuclear power, even though fusion
reactions cannot happen here on Earth.
Fusion from hydrogen is what powers all stars like our sun, nuclear fusion gives off
large amounts of energy but can't be used becuse it takes very high temperatures to
do so.

3. Why is uranium-235 used as a fuel for nuclear power plants?

Because its atoms can easily split apart.

4. Explain how each of the three main types of radioactive decay can change the nucleus
of an atom and how radioactive decay could be an issue for nuclear power.
Alpha decay loses 2 protons, beta decay the nucleus will lose a proton or gain one,
and there are no changes in the protons because of this the atom doesn not become
a different element.