According to one estimate, there are 4.4 x 106 metric tons of world uranium reserves extractable at $130/kg or less. About 0.70% of naturally occurring uranium is the fissionable isotope 235U. (a) Calculate the mass of 235U in this reserve in grams. (b) Find the number of moles of 235U and convert to a number of atoms. (c) Assuming 208 MeV is obtained from each reaction and all this energy is captured, calculate the total energy that can be extracted from the reserve in joules. (d) Assuming world power consumption to be constant at 1.5 x 1013 J/s, how many years could the uranium reserves provide for all the world’s energy needs using conventional reactors that don’t generate nuclear fuel? (e) What conclusions can be drawn?
Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction. In nuclear fusion, two or more than two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, an enormous amount of energy is released. This energy is called nuclear energy. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars.
Fusion Bomb
A fusion bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb or hydrogen bomb which releases a large amount of explosive energy during a nuclear chain reaction when the lighter nuclei in it, combine to form heavier nuclei, and a large amount of radiation is released. It is an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction where isotopes of hydrogen combine under very high temperature to form helium. They work on the principle of operation of atomic fusion. The isotopes of Hydrogen are deuterium and tritium, where they combine their masses and have greater mass than the product nuclei, get heated at high temperatures, and releases energy.
According to one estimate, there are 4.4 x 106 metric tons of world uranium reserves extractable at $130/kg or less. About 0.70% of naturally occurring uranium is the fissionable isotope 235U. (a) Calculate the mass of 235U in this reserve in grams. (b) Find the number of moles of 235U and convert to a number of atoms. (c) Assuming 208 MeV is obtained from each reaction and all this energy is captured, calculate the total energy that can be extracted from the reserve in joules. (d) Assuming world power consumption to be constant at 1.5 x 1013 J/s, how many years could the uranium reserves provide for all the world’s energy needs using conventional reactors that don’t generate nuclear fuel? (e) What conclusions can be drawn?
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