Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 31 - Nuclear Energy; Effects and Uses of Radiation - General Problems - Page 913: 54

Answer

a) $\approx 813\;\rm kg$ b) $2.54 \;\rm MCi$

Work Step by Step

a) First we need to find the energy produced in one year by converting the power to energy; $$E=P_Wt\tag 1$$ Now we need to find the mass of $\rm ^{235}_{92}U$ that will operate the power planet for one year since we know that one atom fission gives an energy of 200 MeV. So we can find the number of $\rm ^{235}_{92}U$ in the year; $$N_{\rm ^{235}_{92}U}=\dfrac{P_Wt}{200\;\rm MeV}$$ $$N_{\rm ^{235}_{92}U}=\dfrac{2100\times 10^6\times 365.25\times 86400}{200\times 10^6\times 1.6\times 10^{-19}}=\bf 2.071\times 10^{27}\;\rm neuclei$$ $$m=NM=2.071\times 10^{27}\times 235\times 1.67\times 10^{-27}$$ $$m=\color{red}{\bf812.7}\;\rm kg$$ --- b) Since $6\%$ of $\rm ^{235}_{92}U$ produces $\rm ^{90}_{38}Sr$, $$N_{\rm ^{90}_{38}Sr}=0.06N_{\rm ^{235}_{92}U}= 0.06\times 2.071\times 10^{27}\;\rm neuclei$$ $$N_{\rm ^{90}_{38}Sr}= \bf 1.243\times 10^{26}\;\rm neuclei$$ Thus, $$R=N_{\rm ^{90}_{38}Sr}\lambda=N_{\rm ^{90}_{38}Sr}\dfrac{\ln 2}{T_{_{\frac{1}{2}}}} $$ Plugging the given; $$R= 1.243\times 10^{26} \dfrac{\ln 2}{29\times 365.25\times 86400} =9.414\times 10^{16}\;\rm decay/s$$ Thus, $$R=9.414\times 10^{16}\;\rm decay/s\times \dfrac{1\;Ci}{3.7\times 10^{10} \;decay/s}$$ $$=\color{red}{\bf 2.54\times 10^6}\;\rm Ci$$
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