Fission
1.Uranium-235 decays naturally, by alpha decay. Write the balanced decay equation below. (5 points)
92235U --> 90231Th + 24He
2.Uranium-235 has a half-life of about 700 million years. If 1 kg of U-235 is put on a shelf in a laboratory, how much of it will be left after 700 million years? (5 points)
A half life pertains to the time it takes for exactly half of a substance to disappear. So, if U235 has a half life of 700 million years, it will take 700 million years for half of it to decay. That would leave .5kg or 500g.
3.Uranium-235 is a popular choice of fuel for nuclear reactors. But U-235 doesn't always fission the same way. Below are three ways it can split. Complete the nuclear equations so they balance. (6 points)
(92)U[235] + (0)n[1] - - -> (56)Ba[141] + (36)Kr[92] +3{ (0)n[1] } + energy
4.Instead of allowing 1 kg of U-235 to decay naturally, imagine it is used as fuel in a nuclear reactor. It is bombarded with neutrons, causing it all to fission in a matter of days. After 1 kg of U-235 undergoes fission, the mass of the products is 8.4 x 10-4 kg less than the initial 1 kg. How much energy was produced by the fission of 1 kg of U-235? (Hint: Use Einstein's equation, E = mc2, where E is energy in Joules, m is mass in kilograms, and c is the speed of light, 3 x 108 m/s.) (8 points)
The mass difference 8.4x10_6kg corresponds to an energy E = mc^2 = 8.4x10^-4kg*(3.0x10^8m/s)^2 = 7.56x10^13J
Fusion
5.The fusion of two hydrogen isotopes is shown below. Complete the nuclear equation so it balances. (5 points)
6.If 1 kg of fuel is used in the above fusion reaction, the resulting helium has a mass of 0.993 kg. In other words, 0.007 kg of mass is converted to energy. How much energy is produced by the fusion of 1 kg of hydrogen? (Hint: Use Einstein's equation, E = mc2, where E is energy in Joules, m is mass in kilograms, and c is the speed of light, 3 x 108 m/s.) (6 points)
12-5757
Alternative Energy
7.Hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce water and energy. Assume 1 kg of fuel is used, and the mass of the water produced is 1.10 x 10-11 kg. How much energy is produced by this fuel cell? (Hint: Use E = mc2.) (7 points)
10.11
Comparison
8.Complete the following table and questions. (8 points)
Reaction Mass "Lost" Energy Produced
Fission of 1 kg of U-235
Fusion of 1 kg of hydrogen
Fuel cell with 1 kg of hydrogen and oxygen
Which type of reaction "loses" the most mass?
Which type of reaction produces the most energy? Why?
hydrogen.
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