Nuclear Energy [Radioactivity, Nuclear Fission and Fusion]

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  • 8/17/2019 Nuclear Energy [Radioactivity, Nuclear Fission and Fusion]

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    Chapter 7: Nuclear Energy

    7.1 Introduction

    7.2 Radioactive decay

    7.3 Different radioactive decay processes

    7. !a"s of radioactive decay

    7.# $alf life

    7.% &verage or 'ean lifeti'e

    7.7 (ass Defect and )inding energy

    7.* Energy due to +ission

    7., Nuclear Chain Reactions

    7.1- Controlled Nuclear +ission

    7.11 i'escales of nuclear chain reactions

    7.12 Effective neutron 'ultiplication factor 

    7.13 Energy due to +usion

    7.1 I'portant fusion reactions

    7.1 Introduction

    Nuclear energy is released by three exoenergetic  (or exothermic) processes:

    • Radioactive decay, where a neutron or proton in the radioactive  nucleus decays

    spontaneously by emitting either particles, electromagnetic radiation (gamma rays),

    neutrinos (or all of them)

    • Fusion, two atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus

    • Fission, the breaking of a heavy nucleus into two (or more rarely three) lighter nuclei

    he difference between the masses before and after the nuclear reactions representing the above

    three nuclear processes corresponds to the reaction energy or nuclear energy, according to

    the mass!energy relation "#mc$%

    Nuclear energy was first discovered by French physicist &enri 'ecuerel in *+, when he found

    that photographic plates stored in the dark near uranium were blackened like -!ray plates, which

    had been .ust recently discovered at the time *+/%

    E/a'ple01: +ind the energy euivalent of 1g' of 'atter.

    0olution:

    m# 1%11 kg

    2age of 3

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exothermichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrinoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fissionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Becquerelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraniumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-rayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exothermichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrinoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fissionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Becquerelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraniumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray

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    "#mc$ # 1%11x (4%1x1*)$ # +x14 .oule or watt!sec

    36001000

    109   13

     x

     x= # $%/x15 k6h

    7.2 Radioactive decay 

    For a nucleus to be stable, the number of neutrons should in most cases be little higher than thenumber of protons% For example, oxygen has three stable isotopes

    ]10,9,8[,,  18

    8

    17

    8

    16

    8   = N OOO   and five known unstable (i%e% radioactive) isotopes

    Oand OOOO  20

    8

    19

    8

    15

    8

    14

    8

    13

    8   ,,, % 7n the case of the isotopes ]7,6,5[,,  15

    8

    14

    8

    13

    8   = N OOO there

    are not enough neutrons for stability while the isotopes ]12,11[,  20

    8

    19

    8   = N OO  have too many

    neutrons%

    7.3 Different radioactive decay processes

     i )eta Decay:

    Nuclei such as O15

    8  which are lacking in neutrons, undergo 450decay% 7n this process one of the

    protons in the nucleus is transformed into a neutron and a positron and a neutrino are emitted%

    his transformation is written as

    ν β  +   →    + N O

      15

    7

    15

    8

    where 89 signifies the emitted positron which in this context is called a 8!ray and denotes the

    neutrino%

    'y contrast, nuclei like O19

    8  which are excessively rich in neutron, decay by −−β  decay. 7n this

    process one of the neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton and an electron and an

    antineutrino are emitted% his transformation is written as

     ν+    →  −−β

    +6  )+

    +

    )+

    *

    7t should be noted that in both 89!decay and −−β  decay the atomic mass number remains the

    same%

    ii Electron capture:

     ; nucleus lacking in neutrons can also increase its neutron number by electron capture% 7n thisprocess, an atomic electron interacts with one of the protons in the nucleus and a neutron is

    formed of the union% his leaves a vacancy in the electron cloud which is latter filled by another 

    electron% 3+ :

    ie8 3+$$

    1)

    3+$4

      →  +−

    iii &lpha Decay:

     ;nother way by which some unstable nuclei undergo radioactive decay is by the emission of analpha particle ?   He

    4

    2@% For example

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    $e.h9  3

    $

    $43

    +1

    $4*

    +$  +→

    Aecay by 0e'ission is comparatively rare in nuclides lighter than lead, but it is common for the

    heavier nuclei%

    iv ;a''a Radiation:

    he nucleus formed as the result of 8!decay (9 or !), electron capture or B!decay is often left in an

    excited state following the transformation% he excited nucleus then decays by the emission of one or more independent of ti'eG% his constant is

    called the decay constantG and is denoted by H%

    Iet us suppose that at time t the number of radioactive nuclei which have not yet decayed is N(t)%

    he rate at which these nuclei decay is therefore )(t  N  λ  disintegrations per unit time% his decayrate is called the activity of the sample% ;ctivity is measured in 'ecuerel (') which is one

    disintegration per second%

    Iet us suppose that at the beginning of disintegrations i%e% at t#o, the number of radioactive nuclei

    present in the sample is N1% 

    0ince )(t  N λ  dt nuclei decay in the time interval dt, it follows that the decrease in the number of 

    undecayed nuclei in the sample in time dt is

    ]1[,)()(   dt t  N t dN    λ =−

    his euation can be written as

    ]2[),()(

    t  N dt 

    t dN λ −=

    From ?$@ we can write

    " (4) shows that the number of 

    surviving nuclei at any time t decreases

    exponentially with time%

    From ?4@, we can write

    2age 4 of 3

    ]3[,0

    0

    0

    )(]/[log

    0

    t e N t  N t  N  N 

    t d  N 

    dN 

    dt  N 

    dN 

    e

    t  N 

     N 

    λ 

    λ 

    λ 

    λ 

    −=∴−=

    ′−=∴

    −=

    ∫ ∫ 

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_rayshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_rays

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    ]4[,0

    )(

    0)(

    t e At  Aor 

    t e N t  N 

    λ 

    λ λ λ 

    −=

    −=

    where ;(t) is the activity at time t and ;1 is the activity at time t#o%

    7.# $alf life

    7t is defined as the time interval during which one half of the total number of nuclei that were

    present at the beginning of the time interval have decayed %

    7f N nuclei are present at time t and one half that number 2/12   N  N    =  have survived at time t$,

    we can write

    %,3-2

    1221

    212

    212

    2

    1

    2-2

    1-1

    .ln][/

    ln][

    ][

     t t lifehalf T 

    t t 

    t t 

    e N 

     N 

    e N  N 

    e N  N 

    7.% &verage or 'ean lifeti'e

    7f there are N1 radioactive nuclei at time #1, the number that decay in some time interval dt at t is

    dt t e N dt t  N dN    λ λ λ    −==−   0][

    7f we multiply this number by the life time t of these nuclei, sum over all the possible lifetimes from

    t#1 to t#∞ , and divide by the total number of nuclei, we get the average or mean lifetime τ  :

    λ 

    λ λ λ 

    λ λ τ 

    λ 

    λ λ 

    λ λ 

    1

    }1

    ]/{[

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0000

    ==

    +=

    ===

    ∫ 

    ∫ 

    ∫ ∫ ∫ 

    ∞∞

    ∞∞∞

    −−

    −−

    dt e

    dt ete

    tedt et dN t  N 

    t t 

    t t 

    Now, we know

    τ λ   t 

    t e Ae At  A

      −−

    == 00)(

    7n can be seen from this euation that in one mean (average) life, the activity falls to (Je) of its

    initial value%

    E/a'ple02: Find the half!lives of a radioactive material if its activity drops to (J)th of its initial value

    in 41 years%

    2age 3 of 3

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    0olution: 6e know thatn N  N    )2/1(0= %

    4

    )2

    1()

    2

    1(

    16

    1   4

    0

    =

    ===∴

    nor 

     N 

     N    n

    herefore, &alf!life # otal time of disintegration J No% of half!lives # 41 years J 3 # 5%/ years%

    E/a'ple03: 6hat percentage of initial amount of a radioactive material decays during the time, eual

    to mean lifetime of this materialK

    0olution: Number of radioactive nuclei left after one mean lifetime

      # λ τ λτ λ 

    /1,/000   ====  −−

    e N e N e N  N   t 

    %63100)7.2

    11(100)

    11(100

    0

    0 =−=−=−

    =∴   x xe

     x N 

     N  N decayof   Percentage

    7.7 (ass Defect and )inding energy

     ; nucleus consists of proton and neutrons% &owever, the total mass of a nucleus is always less

    than the sum of the masses of its constituents e%g% the mass of helium nucleus is 3%114** amu

    (atomic mass unit) whereas the mass of $ protons and $ neutrons totals 3%144$ amu%

    hus, the mass of a helium nucleus is 1%1$+$3 amu less than the sum of the masses of its

    constituents% his difference is known as mass defect% he mass defect of a given nucleus can be

    calculated by using the euation:

    (ass defect ? @A 'p 5 & 0 A 'nB nuclear 'ass

    6here, L # atomic number # number of protons in the nucleus

     ; # atomic mass number # total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

    mp # mass of proton # %115*$/ amu

    mn # mass of neutron # %11*/ amu

    he energy euivalent of mass defect is called binding energy% ;n amount of mass eual to mass

    defect has been converted into potential energy which holds the nucleus together%

    E/a'ple0: ho" that a 'ass defect of 1a'u is euivalent to a=out ,31 (ev of energy.

    0olution:

    amu # %1/3x1!$5kg

    "nergy # mc$ # %x1!$5x(4%1x1*)$ # %3+x1!1M #   MeV  x 

     x 931

    1061

    10491

    19

    10

    =−

    %

    %

    %

    he binding energy per nucleon of different elements is different% 7n Figure below, we show the

    binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number for different elements% 7t is seen from

    this figure that binding energy is highest at the centre of the periodic table% his means that if 

    lighter elements are fused together or heavier elements split, release of energy would take place%

    his gives two fundamental ways of obtaining nuclear energy:

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    (i) Fusion of light elements into heavier elements

    (ii) Fission of heavy elements into lighter elements%

    he nuclear fission process is used in nuclear power plants for generation of energy% he nuclear 

    fusion process has still not been exploited commercially%

    Fig% : 'inding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number%

    he peak at ;#3 corresponds to the exceptionally stable  He4

    2 nucleus which is alpha

    particle% he binding energy per nucleon is a maximum for nuclei of mass number ; #/%

    his figure suggests that we can liberate energy from the nucleus in two different ways% 7f we

    split a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei, energy is released because the binding energy

    per nucleon is greater for the two lighter fragments than it is for the original nucleus% his

    process is known as nuclear fission% For example, if the uranium nucleus is broken into two

    smaller nuclei, the binding energy difference per nucleon as about 1%* DeE% he total energy

    given off is therefore

    ?1%* DeEJnucleon@?$4/ nucleons@#** DeE

     ;lternatively when we combine two light nuclei into a heavier nucleus, again, energy is

    released when the binding energy per nucleon is greater in the final nucleus than it is in thetwo original nuclei% he process is known as nuclear fusion% For instance, if two deuterium?

     H 2

    1 @ nuclei combine to form a  He4

    2 helium nucleus, over $4 DeE is released% 7n fact,

    nuclear fusion is the main energy source of the sun and other stars%

    E/a'ple0#: +ind the average =inding energy per nucleon for a heavy hydrogen $$)

    > =

    9raniu' 9$4/+$

    .

    0olution: (a) For $$)

    , atomic mass # $%13 amu

    Dass defect # (%115*$/ x ) 9 %11*/ ($!) > $%13 # 1%11$4+ amu

    otal binding energy # +4x 1%11$4+ DeE # $%$$/ DeE

    2age of 3

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     ;verage binding energy per nucleon #number massatomic

    energybindingtotal# ))$/)

    $

    $$/$.

    .=

    DeE

    (b) For 9$4/+$ , atomic mass # $4/%134+ amu

    Dass defect # (%115*$/ x +$) 9 %11*/ ($4/!+$) > $4/%134+ # %+/ amu

    otal binding energy # +4x %+/ DeE # 5*$%+/ DeE

     ;verage binding energy per nucleon #number massatomic

    energybindingtotal# /*55

    $4/

     )5*$%+/.= DeE

    7.* Energy due to +ission

    he fission of a heavy atom can be caused by bombarding

    it with a thermal neutron% 7f a $4/< atom is bombarded by a

    neutron, the nucleus splits to give nuclei of other elements%

    ne possible fission reaction of $4/< is

    $4/< 9 n # 3*Ia 9 */'r 9 4n

    he mass euation of this reaction is

    ($4/%$3 9 %11+) amu # (35%+ 9 *3%+4* 9 4%11$5) amu

    he mass of fission products is 1%$15 amu less than mass on the left hand side% hus this

    reaction means a mass defect of 1%$15 amu, which is euivalent to

    1%$15x+4 DeE # +$%55 DeE of energy

    Cenerally, it is assumed that fission of $4/< causes a release of $11 DeE of energy as:

    / DeE

      5 DeE

      DeE

      5 DeE

      DeE

      + DeE

      2-- (e8

    O kinetic energy of fission products

    O gamma rays

    O kinetic energy of the neutrons

    O energy from fission products

    O gamma rays from fission products

    O anti!neutrinos from fission products

    DeE (million electron volts) # %1+ x 1 013 .oules

    7f all the atoms of kg of pure $4/< ($/%3x1$4 atoms) were fissioned, the energy released would

    be euivalent to that contained 4x1  kg of coal% Natural uranium contains only 1%5P $4/

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    n Kr  BanU    109436

    13956

    10

    23592

      3++→+

    +ertile (aterial:  ; fertile material is one that will capture a neutron, and transmute by

    radioactive decay into a fissile material% Fertile isotopes may also undergo fission directly, but

    only if impacted by a high energy neutron, typically in the DeE range% Fertile materials are$4$

    h,$4*

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    the emission of a neutron is often considered its Tbirth,T and the subseuent absorption is

    considered its Tdeath%T For thermal (slow!neutron) fission reactors, the typical prompt neutron

    lifetime is on the order of 1U3 seconds, and for fast fission reactors, the prompt neutron lifetime is

    on the order of 1U5 seconds% hese extremely short lifetimes mean that in second, 1,111 to

    1,111,111 neutron lifetimes can pass%

    (ean generation ti'e

    he 'ean generation ti'e, V, is the average time from a neutron emission to a capture that

    results in fission% he mean generation time is different from the prompt neutron lifetime because

    the mean generation time only includes neutron absorptions that lead to fission reactions (not

    other absorption reactions)% he two times are related by the following formula:

    7n this formula, k is the effective neutron multiplication factor, described below%

    7.12 Effective neutron 'ultiplication factor  

    he ratio of neutrons available for fissioning in any one generation to the number available in thepreceding generation is called the effective multiplication factor , k eff , and is calculated by:

    keff  #generationpreceding>fissionsof Nu'=er 

    generationone>fissionsof Nu'=er 

     

    •   k eff  W (subcriticality): he system cannot sustain a chain reaction, and any beginning

    of a chain reaction dies out over time%

    •   k ef f  # (criticality): "very fission causes an average of one more fission, leading to a

    fission (and power) level that is constant% Nuclear power plants operate with k eff  #

    unless the power level is being increased or decreased%

    •   k eff  X (supercriticality): For every fission in the material, it is likely that there will be T

    k eff   T fissions after the next mean generation time. he result is that the number of 

    fission reactions increases exponentially% Nuclear weapons are designed to operate

    under this state%

    7n a nuclear reactor, k eff  will actually oscillate from slightly less than to slightly more than , due

    primarily to thermal effects (as more power is produced, the fuel rods warm and thus expand,

    lowering their capture ratio, and thus driving k   lower)% his leaves the average value of k   at

    exactly % Aelayed neutrons play an important role in the timing of these oscillations%

    2age + of 3

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcriticalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercriticalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcriticalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercriticality

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    7.13 Energy due to +usion

    Nuclear energy can also be released by

    fusion of two light elements (elements

    with low atomic numbers)% Nuclear fusion

    reactors, if they can be made to work,

    promise virtually unlimited power for the

    indefinite future% his is because the fuel,

    isotopes of hydrogen, are essentially

    unlimited on "arth% "fforts to control the

    fusion process and harness it to produce power have

    been underway in the

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    7.1 I'portant fusion reactions

    i &strophysical reaction chains

    he most important fusion process in nature is that which powers the stars% he net result is the

    fusion of four protons into one alpha particle, with the release of two electrons, two neutrinos, andenergy, but several individual reactions are involved, depending on the mass of the star% For stars

    of the siSe of the sun or smaller, the proton!proton chain dominates% 7n heavier stars, the YN

    cycle is more important%

    ii roton0proton cycle

    0ince the sun is composed of ordinary hydrogen, rather than deuterium, it is first necessary to

    convert the hydrogen to deuterium% his is done according to the reaction

    ν ++→+   +e H  H  H    211

    1

    1

    1

    his process involves converting a proton to a neutron and is analogous to the beta!decay

    processes discussed earlier% nce we have obtained $& (deuterium), the next reaction that can

    occur is

    γ  +→+   He H  H    321

    1

    2

    1

    followed by  H  He He He   114

    2

    3

    2

    3

    2   2+→+

    Note that the first two reactions must occur twice in order to produce the two

    4

    &e we need for thethird reaction% 6e can write the net process as

    he net result is the fusion of four protons into one alpha particle,  with the release of two

    electrons, two neutrinos, and energy, but several individual reactions are involved, depending on

    the mass of the star% 0ince the two positrons disappear in this process, the only masses

    remaining are four hydrogen atoms and the one helium atom, and so

     MeV u MeV uu xcmmQ   f  i   7.26)/5.931()002603.4007825.14()(  2

    =−=−=

    "ach fusion reaction liberates about $%5 DeE of energy% Iet us now try to calculate the rate at

    which these fusion reactions occur in the sun% he power output from the sun may be shown to

    be about 3x1$ 6, which corresponds to about 14* DeEJs% hus there must be about 14* fusion

    reactions per second, consuming around 3x14* protons per second% For stars the siSe of the sun

    or smaller, the proton!proton chain dominates%

    2age of 3

    γ + ν++→

    γ + ν+β++→+→

    γ + ν+β+→

    +

    +

    +

    $$$3

    $$$$,

    4

    3

    $

    )

    )

    )

    )

    3

    $

    4

    $

    4

    $

    )

    )

    4

    $

    )

    )

    e$e$

    $$e$e$e$

    $e$

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_particlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrinohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton-proton_chainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_particlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrinohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton-proton_chain

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    iii Car=on cycle

    7n heavier stars, the YN cycle is more important% ; more likely seuence of reactions in thecarbon cycle is shown below:

     HeC  H  N 

    e N O

    O H  N 

     N  H C 

    eC  N 

     N  H C 

    412115

    1515

    15114

    14113

    1313

    13112

    +→+

    ++→

    +→+

    +→+

    ++→

    +→+

    +

    +

    ν 

    γ  

    γ  

    ν 

    γ  

    Notice that the $Y plays the role of catalyst we neither produce nor consume any $Y in these

    reactions, but the presence of the carbon permits this seuence of reactions to take place at a

    much greater rate than the previously discussed proton!proton cycle% he net process is still

    described by 3

    &→

     

    3

    &e, and of course the Z value is the same% 0ince the coulomb repulsionbetween & and Y is larger than the Youlomb repulsion between two & nuclei, more thermal

    energy and a correspondingly higher temperature are needed for the carbon cycle% he carbon

    cycle probably becomes important at a temperature of about $1 - 1  =, while the 0un[s interior 

    temperature is only / - 1 =%

    6hen all of the hydrogen has been converted to helium, the 0un will contract and its temperature

    will increase until helium burning occurs, by processes such as

    4 3&e → $Y

    wo &e nuclei have a larger mutual Youlomb repulsion than two & nuclei, so helium fusion needs

    more thermal energy than hydrogen fusion%

    6hen the helium is used up, a still higher temperature will allow carbon fusion to make even

    heavier elements, for example, $3Dg% 0uch processes will continue until /Fe is reached beyond

    this point no further energy is gained by fusion%

    6!8ED EF&(!E

    ro=le' No. 1:  0how that after 1 half!lives a radioactive material is reduced to J111 part

    approximately%

    0olution: From radioactive decay law, one can show that a radioactive material, after n half!lives, will

    decay ton N  N    )2/1(0= %

    1000/1024/)2/1(00

    10

    0  N  N  N  N    ≅==∴

    ro=le' No. 2: he half!life of radium is 11 years% ;fter how much time (J) th part of radium will

    remain un!disintegrated in the sampleK

    0olution: Civen 16/0 N  N  = , therefore,n

     N  N    )2/1()2/1()16/1(/  4

    0   ===

    2age $ of 3

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cyclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle

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    4=∴   n

    herefore, time of disintegration # No% of half!lives x half!lives # 3 x 11 # 311 years%

    herefore, &alf!life # otal time of disintegration J No% of half!lives # 41 years J 3 # 5%/ years%

    ro=le' No. 3: here is a stream of neutrons of kinetic energy of 1%1$/ eE% 7f the half!life of neutron is

    511 seconds, what fraction of neutrons will decay, before they travel a distance 1 mK

    0olution: 6e know that

     sm x x

     x x x

    m

     E  xK vmv E  K    /1019.2

    1067.1

    106.1025.2.2

    2

    1.

      3

    27

    192 ===⇒=

    ime needed to travel a distance of 1 m # 1 m J ($%+ x1 4) # 3%/5x1!4 seconds%

    6

    0

    )700/1057.4(

    0

    1053.61

    99999347.03

    −−

    =−=∴

    ===  −

     x N 

     N 

    decayed  fraction

    ee N 

     N    xt λ 

     

    ro=le' No. : ; sample of uranium is a mixture of three isotopes   U and U U   238

    92

    235

    92

    234

    92   , , present

    in the ratio 1%11P, 1%5P and ++%$*3P respectively% he half!lives of these isotopes are $%/x1 /

    years, 5%x1* years and 3%/x1+ years respectively% Yalculate the contribution to activity (P) of each

    isotope in sample%

    0olution: No% of U 234

    92 nuclei in the mixture #0

    24 N    #234

    1002.6006.0   23 x x(aking total mass of 

    11gm)

    No% of U 235

    92 nuclei in the mixture #0

    25 N   #235

    1002.671.0  23 x x

    No% of U 238

    92 nuclei in the mixture #0

    28 N   #238

    1002.6284.99  23

     x x

    he relative contribution of the isotopes in the activity (P) would be

    45.46:%13.2:%41.51926.0:0425.0:02.110926.0:100425.0:1002.1

    105.4238

    1002.6284.99:

    101.7235

    693.01002.671.0:

    105.2234

    693.01002.6006.0::

    101010

    9

    23

    8

    23

    5

    23

    28

    0

    2825

    0

    2524

    0

    24

    ⇒⇒

    −−−

     x x xor 

     x x

     x x

     x x

     x x x

     x x

     x x x N  N  N    λ λ λ 

    ro=le' No. #: he half!lives ofU 

    235

    92 andU 

    238

    92 are 5%x1

    *

     years and 3%/x1

    +

     years respectively%

    oday the isotopic abundance of U 235

    92 and U 238

    92 are respectively 1%5$P and ++%$*P% ;ssuming

    2age 4 of 3

  • 8/17/2019 Nuclear Energy [Radioactivity, Nuclear Fission and Fusion]

    14/14

    that initially these isotopes were in eual abundance and no isotopic separation has occurred,

    calculate the age of these elements on the earth%

    0olution:

    e N  N 

    e N  N 

    28

    25

    0

    2828

    0

    2525

    λ 

    λ 

    =

    =

    7n the beginning,0

    28

    0

    25   N  N    = %

     years x xt 

     year  per  x x 

     year  per  x x  No!

    t or 

    t or 

    e

    et 

    910

    109282/128

    10825

    2/125

    2825

    2528

    1099.510]54.176.9/[927.4

    1054.1105.4/693.0/693.0

    1076.9101.7/693.0/693.0

    ]/[927.4

    927.488.137ln][

    88.13772.0

    28.99

    25

    28

    =−=∴

    ===

    ===

    −=

    ==−−

    ==∴

    λ 

    λ 

    λ λ 

    λ λ 

    λ 

    λ 

    ro=le' No. %:  Yalculate the amount of energy reuired to remove a neutron from40

    20Ya

    nucleus%Civen the masses of40

    20Ya#4+%+$/*+ amu,

    39

    20Ya#4*%+51+ amu, mn#%11*/

    amu%

    0olution:

    nCaCa   +→   392040

    20

    Dass defect # (mass of Ya!4+ 9n) > mass of Ya!31 # 4*%+51+ 9 %11*/ > 4+%+$/*+

    = 0.016767 amu = 0.016767 amu × 931 !"/amu = 15.61 !"

    2age 3 of 3