Power Plant Engineering MCQ Solved Paper for SSC Scientific Assistant

1. In order to have constant chain reaction to produce a constant rate of heat output, the value of ratio of the number of neutrons in one generation to the number of neutrons in the immediately preceding generation must be
A. Greater than 1.0
B. Less than 1.0
C. Equal to zero
D. Equal to 1.0
Answer : D

2. Which of the following particles is the lightest?
A. Nucleus
B. Electron
C. Proton
D. Meson
Answer : B

3. Which of the following type of pump is used in liquid metal cooled reactor for circulation of liquid metal
A. Centrifugal
B. Axial
C. Reciprocation
D. Electromagnetic
Answer : D

4. The nuclear energy is measured as
A. MeV
B. Curie
C. Farads
D. MW
Answer : A

5. The energy required to be applied to a radioactive nucleus for the emission of a neutron is
A. 1 MeV
B. 2.4 MeV
C. 4.3 MeV
D. 7.8 MeV
Answer : D

6. In a thermal power plant, coal from the coal handling plant is moved to the boiler bunker through a
A. Belt conveyor
B. Bucket conveyor
C. Fork lift truck
D. Overhead crane
Answer : A

7. The presence of reflector in nuclear power plants results in
A. Increased production of neutrons
B. Complete absorption of neutrons
C. Controlled production of neutrons
D. Decreased leakage of neutrons
Answer : D

8. In triggering fission, the following types of neutrons are desirable
A. Fast moving
B. Slow moving
C. Critical neutrons
D. Neutrons at rest
Answer : B

9. Gas cooled reactor uses following materials as moderator, and coolant
A. Graphite, CO₂
B. Graphite, air
C. Heavy water, CO₂
D. Lead, H₂
Answer : A

10. Enriched uranium is required as a fuel in a nuclear reactor, if light water is used as moderator and coolant, because light water has
A. High neutron absorption cross-section
B. Low moderating efficiency
C. High neutron scatter cross-section
D. Low neutron absorption cross-section
Answer : B

11. Plutonium (Pu???) is produced
A. Artificially
B. By fission of Th???
C. When U??? is irradiated by neutrons
D. As basic raw material
Answer : C

12. Each fission of U??? produces following number of fast neutrons per fission
A. 1 neutron
B. 3 neutrons
C. 1, 2 neutrons
D. 2 neutrons
Answer : D

13. A fast breeder reactor uses
A. 90% U???
B. U???
C. U???
D. Pu???
Answer : A

14. Natural uranium is made up of
A. 99.282% U???, 0.712% U???, 0.006% U???
B. 99.282% U???, 0.712% U???, 0.06%' U???
C. 99.282% U???, 0.712% U???, 0.006% U???
D. 99.282% U???, 0.712% U???, 0.006% U???
Answer : A

15. Hydrogen is preferred as better coolant in comparison to CO? because former
A. Is lighter
B. Is inert
C. Has high specific heat
D. Is a good conductor
Answer : C

16. Reactors for propulsion applications use
A. Natural uranium
B. Molten lead
C. Any form of uranium
D. Thorium
Answer : B

17. Breeder reactors employ liquid metal coolant because it
A. Acts as good moderator
B. Produces maximum steam
C. Transfers heat from core at a fast rate
D. Breeds neutrons
Answer : C

18. In natural uranium, the constituents of three naturally occuring isotopes are
A. U??? = 0.006%, U??? = 0.712% and U??? = 99.282%
B. U??? = 0.712%, U??? = 0.006% and U??? = 99.282%
C. U??? = 99.282%, U??? = 0.006% and U??? = 0.712%
D. U??? = 0.006%, U??? = 99.282% and U??? = 0.712%
Answer : A

19. The most practical fuel for a thermonuclear reactor, both from economical and nuclear consideration is
A. Plutonium
B. Uranium
C. Deuterium
D. Thorium
Answer : C

20. Breeder reactor has a conversion ratio of
A. Unity
B. More than unity
C. Less than unity
D. Zero
Answer : B

21. A moderator, in nuclear power plants, is a medium introduced into the fuel mass in order to
A. Slow down the speed of fast moving neutrons
B. Control the reaction
C. Reduce the temperature
D. Extracts heat from nuclear reaction
Answer : A

22. A fast breeder reactor
A. Uses graphite rods as moderator
B. Has powerful moderator
C. Has no moderator
D. Uses ferrite material as moderator
Answer : C

23. In nuclear fission each neutron that causes fission releases
A. No new neutron
B. At least one new neutron
C. One new neutron
D. More than one new neutron
Answer : D

24. The total energy released in fission of U is
A. 5 MeV
B. 10 MeV
C. 199 MeV
D. 168 MeV
Answer : C

25. U233 is produced
A. As basic raw material
B. By neutron irradiation of Uz
C. By neutron irradiation of thorium
D. Artificially
Answer : C

26. Plutonium (Pu239) is produced
A. Artificially
B. When U238 is irradiated by neutrons
C. By fission of Th232
D. As basic raw material
Answer : B

27. Reactors designed for propulsion applications are designed for
A. Natural uranium
B. Enriched uranium
C. Pure uranium
D. Any type of uranium
Answer : B

28. A nuclear reactor is said to be critical when the neutron population in the reactor core is
A. Rapidly increasing leading to the point of explosion
B. Decreasing from the specified value
C. Reduced to zero
D. Constant
Answer : D

29. Which of the following is the primary fuel?
A. U???
B. U
C. U???
D. Pu
Answer : B

30. Nuclear reactors are used
A. To produce heat for thermoelectric power
B. To produce fissionable material
C. To propel ships, submarines, aircrafts
D. All of these
Answer : D

31. Isotopes of same elements have
A. Same atomic number and different masses
B. Same chemical properties but different atomic numbers
C. Different masses and different atomic numbers
D. Different chemical properties and same atomic numbers
Answer : B

32. Pressurised water reactor is designed
A. For boiling pi water in the core
B. To use liquid sodium metal as coolant
C. To use intermediate coolant
D. To prevent the water coolant from boiling in the core
Answer : D

33. Which of the following nuclear reactor does not need a heat exchanger for generation of steam?
A. Gas cooled
B. Liquid metal cooled
C. Pressurised water
D. Boiling water
Answer : D

34. Fast breeder reactor uses
A. Boiler
B. Direct cycle of coolant system
C. Double circuit system of coolant cycle
D. Multi passes system
Answer : C

35. A moderator, apart from its high neutron slowing power, and low non-productive neutron, should be
A. Stable under nuclear radiation
B. Corrosion resistant
C. Good thermal conductor
D. All of these
Answer : D

36. The fuel needed, with reflector in nuclear power plant, in order to generate sufficient neutrons to sustain a chain reaction, would be
A. More
B. Less
C. Same
D. Zero
Answer : B

37. The secondary fuel used in nuclear power plants is
A. U??? and Pu???
B. U??? and Th???
C. U??? and Pu???
D. U??? and Pu???
Answer : A

38. Ideally the neutron flux in reactor should be
A. Maximum in centre and zero at side
B. Maximum at side and zero in canter
C. Uniform throughout
D. Zero throughout
Answer : C

39. The following present serious difficulty in designing reactor shield
A. Alpha particles
B. Beta particles
C. Thermal neutrons
D. Fast neutrons and gamma rays
Answer : D

40. A nuclear fission produces energy of following order in MeV
A. 20
B. 200
C. 2000
D. 20,000
Answer : B

41. In boiling water reactor, moderator is
A. Coolant itself
B. Ferrite rod
C. Graphite rod
D. Liquid sodium metal
Answer : A

42. Amongst the following, the fissionable materials are
A. U??? and Pu???
B. U??? and Pu???
C. U??? and Pu???
D. U??? and Pu???
Answer : A

43. The efficiency of a nuclear power plant in comparison to a conventional thermal power plant is
A. Same
B. More
C. Less
D. May be less or mote depending on size
Answer : C

44. Which of the following can be used as a coolant in nuclear plant?
A. Light or heavy water
B. Molten lead
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Freon
Answer : A

45. Boiling water reactor uses the following as moderator, coolant and working fluid
A. Ordinary fluid
B. Heavy water
C. Molten lead
D. Hydrogen gas
Answer : A

46. In the breeder reactors the generation of new fissionable atom is
A. At the lower rate than the consumption
B. At a higher rate than the consumption
C. At an equal rate of the consumption
D. Depends on other considerations
Answer : B

47. A nuclear unit becoming critical means
A. It is generating power to rated capacity
B. It is capable of generating much more than rated capacity
C. There is danger of nuclear spread
D. Chain reaction that causes automatic splitting of the fuel nuclei has been established
Answer : D

48. Ferrite material is
A. The most fissionable material
B. The basic fuel for nuclear paints
C. Basic raw material for nuclear plants
D. The material which absorbs neutrons and undergoes spontaneous changes leading to the formation of fissionable material
Answer : D

49. U??? is produced
A. Artificially
B. As basic raw material
C. When thorium is irradiated by neutrons
D. By fission of U???
Answer : C

50. Atomic number of an element in the periodic table represents the numbers of
A. Protons in the nucleus
B. Electrons in the nucleus
C. Neutrons in the nucleus
D. Electrons in the atom
Answer : A