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 - Problems - Page 911: 23

Answer

1100 kg.

Work Step by Step

As stated in several previous problems, assume that 200 MeV is released in one fission of a uranium nucleus. We are told to assume an efficiency of $34\%$. This means that fission actually generates a power of 950MW/0.34. Now that we know the average power for a year, find the amount of energy. $$\frac{(950\times10^6 J)/0.34}{s}\frac{3.156\times10^7s}{year}\frac{MeV}{1.60\times10^{-13}J}=5.511\times10^{29}MeV/y$$ Change this to an amount of uranium. $$\frac{ 5.511\times10^{29}MeV }{y}\frac{1fission}{200\;MeV}\frac{0.235kg}{6.02\times10^{23}atoms}$$ $$=1076kg\approx 1100kg$$
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