College Physics
11th Edition
ISBN:9781305952300
Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1CQ: Estimate the order of magnitude of the length, in meters, of each of the following; (a) a mouse, (b)...
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Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fission is a type of nuclear reaction in which heavier nuclei split into lighter nuclei by releasing a large quantity of energy. The elements like uranium-235 and plutonium-239 isotope undergo nuclear fission releasing energy. When nuclei undergo fission, some quantity of mass is lost. The lost mass is converted to nuclear energy. Nuclear fission reaction is used in nuclear power plants and atomic bombs. In nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors are used to generate electricity.
Endothermic Nuclear Reaction
A nuclear reaction can be described as a process where two atoms, or two nuclei or nucleus and subatomic particles such as a proton, neutron interact together, and a large amount of energy is produced and new elements are also produced.
Question
![### Nuclear Reactions: Practice Problem
#### Question 5:
**Complete the following nuclear reaction and identify the missing element (use periodic table)**
(i)
\[ \phantom{^{238}_{92}}\text{U} \rightarrow \phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He} + \text{X} \]
Assume the initial isotope is Uranium-238 and it decays, producing an alpha particle (denoted by \(\phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He}\)) and another element (denoted by \(\text{X}\)).
### Instructions:
1. Identify the alpha particle: \( \phantom{^{4}_{2}} \text{He} \). It has 2 protons and an atomic mass of 4.
2. Use the conservation of mass and atomic numbers to find the missing element, \(\text{X}\):
- Initial isotope Uranium-238: \( \phantom{^{238}_{92}} \text{U} \) has an atomic number of 92 and a mass number of 238.
- The decay process produces an alpha particle and another nucleus, so the total mass and atomic numbers should be conserved.
Using these details, calculate the atomic number and mass number of the missing element \(\text{X}\).
### Calculation Process:
1. **Mass Number Calculation:**
\[ 238 = 4 + (mass \, number \, of \, X) \]
Therefore,
\[ mass \, number \, of \, X = 238 - 4 = 234 \]
2. **Atomic Number Calculation:**
\[ 92 = 2 + (atomic \, number \, of \, X) \]
Therefore,
\[ atomic \, number \, of \, X = 92 - 2 = 90 \]
Hence, the missing element \(\text{X}\) has an atomic number of 90, which corresponds to Thorium (Th) in the periodic table.
### Completed Reaction:
\[ \phantom{^{238}_{92}}\text{U} \rightarrow \phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He} + \phantom{^{234}_{90}}\text{Th} \]
This example shows how the conservation laws for mass and atomic number can help solve for unknowns in nuclear reactions.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F8a89208d-bdc5-4565-a1f9-416479803e3f%2Fda74c85f-313a-4b91-a4bf-35b8bfb84e7e%2Fzc2i6uo.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:### Nuclear Reactions: Practice Problem
#### Question 5:
**Complete the following nuclear reaction and identify the missing element (use periodic table)**
(i)
\[ \phantom{^{238}_{92}}\text{U} \rightarrow \phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He} + \text{X} \]
Assume the initial isotope is Uranium-238 and it decays, producing an alpha particle (denoted by \(\phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He}\)) and another element (denoted by \(\text{X}\)).
### Instructions:
1. Identify the alpha particle: \( \phantom{^{4}_{2}} \text{He} \). It has 2 protons and an atomic mass of 4.
2. Use the conservation of mass and atomic numbers to find the missing element, \(\text{X}\):
- Initial isotope Uranium-238: \( \phantom{^{238}_{92}} \text{U} \) has an atomic number of 92 and a mass number of 238.
- The decay process produces an alpha particle and another nucleus, so the total mass and atomic numbers should be conserved.
Using these details, calculate the atomic number and mass number of the missing element \(\text{X}\).
### Calculation Process:
1. **Mass Number Calculation:**
\[ 238 = 4 + (mass \, number \, of \, X) \]
Therefore,
\[ mass \, number \, of \, X = 238 - 4 = 234 \]
2. **Atomic Number Calculation:**
\[ 92 = 2 + (atomic \, number \, of \, X) \]
Therefore,
\[ atomic \, number \, of \, X = 92 - 2 = 90 \]
Hence, the missing element \(\text{X}\) has an atomic number of 90, which corresponds to Thorium (Th) in the periodic table.
### Completed Reaction:
\[ \phantom{^{238}_{92}}\text{U} \rightarrow \phantom{^{4}_{2}}\text{He} + \phantom{^{234}_{90}}\text{Th} \]
This example shows how the conservation laws for mass and atomic number can help solve for unknowns in nuclear reactions.
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