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What else can I help you with?
Is uranium nuclear fuel?
Yes, U233, U235, and U238 are all used as nuclear fuels.
The ingredients of the atomic bomb?
In general terms, enough U235 or Pu239 to form a critical assembly, but in separate small pieces. Also a high explosive charge of the required shape. When required to fire, the HE charge drives the pieces of U235 or Pu239 together with great force, causing a nuclear explosion. The precise details are secret, and best if they stay that way.
How is nuclear energy formed?
Some nuclei, notably U235 and Pu239, can be made to cause a chain reaction where neutrons are produced in nuclear fission, and propogate more subsequent neutrons so that a steady rate of fissions can be achieved. Each fission releases an amount of energy in the form of heat, which is then used in generating plant similar to that in a fossil fuelled power plant.
Isotopes of elements?
Isotopes of elements are atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This causes isotopes of the same element to have different atomic masses. Isotopes can be stable or unstable, with unstable isotopes undergoing radioactive decay.
What is meant by reactor grade materials?
This means that the nuclear material is of a high enough concentration to fissile (allow for a fission chain reaction). This is because Uranium comes naturally as 99.3% U238, which cannot sustain fission, and .7% U235, which is what they want for the fuel. So they have to find away to pull away the U238 and leave the U235. As they concentrate the U235, it becomes concentrated enough so that it can sustain fission (too much U238 bogs down the reaction and will eventually end the fission). When it reaches this point of concentration, it is concidered reactor grade. Different elements have different needed concentrations to reach this level.
What isotopes are in this process?
which process & which isotope u mention 1. nuclear reaction U235 & Pu239
What are in nuclear bombs?
Enough of either U235 or PU239 to form a critical mass and hence a large explosion
Where does the nuclear enengy come from?
It comes from the fission of certain nuclei, mostly U235 and Pu239. Every fission of a nucleus of an atom of these materials releases a certain amount of energy as heat.
The atoms that remain after a nucleus disintegrates is?
smaller then the original atom and possibly radioative
What is the energy level of plutonium?
Weight for weight, Pu239 produces similar energy to U235. However reactor fuel as normally produced from enriched uranium, does not contain Pu. During operation, Pu239 is produced by irradiation of U238 with neutrons (U238 is of course the major part of the U in the fuel, only about 4 percent is U235). The build up of Pu239 compensates to some extent for the burnup of the U235. However as reactor operation continues, the Pu239 is also burnt up, and higher isotopes of Pu are produced, so eventually the fuel must be replaced. Pu with a high concentration of 239 was produced in quantity for weapons in the cold war period, by irradiating fuel for a deliberately short period. Some fuel has been produced with a mixture of U and Pu, this is called MOX fuel (mixed oxide). This has been used in Europe but I believe not in the US though proposals have been made. This would have the advantage of using up some of the surplus Pu239 which exists in the world after the cold war excess production.
Evaluation of energy output of U 235 compared to Pu 238?
I think you mean Pu-239, but we'll look at both Pu-239 and Pu-238 We'll compare to aspects, the decay energy and the fissile energy. First the decay energy. U235 alpha decays and releases 4.679 MeV in the process Pu238 alpha decays and releases 5.593 MeV Pu239 alpha decays and releases 5.245 MeV For the fissile energy. U235 fissiling releases 202.5 MeV Pu238 does not sustain a fissile, but the spontaneous fissile is 204.66 MeV Pu239 fissilings releases 207.1 MeV Pu238, because it does not sustain a fissile (though it does go through spontaneuos fissile) and because it does not emit much other stuff, other then the alpha particle, it works great as a nuclear battery. For example 8 oz of Pu238 will power the average laptop for about 29 years, without ever needing to be recharged or replaced.
Could A power plant blow up?
It's not possible for a nuclear reactor to form an atom bomb, as the fissile material is spread out through a large volume, whereas a bomb requires a small concentrated core of the fissile material. Also a bomb requires almost pure U235 or Pu239, whilst a reactor uses low enrichment, about 4 percent U235 to start with. What is possible is a loss of coolant leading to fuel damage and release of activity. This type of event has to be made as unlikely as possible, by design. Large disruptive failures of the reactor pressure vessel are discounted, but smaller failures are allowed for in the design to ensure that safety measures and equipment will contain such failures without release of radioactivity outside the plant.
What do you called in an element having the same atomic number but different atomic masses?
Isotopes. eg U235 and U238. Both Uranium, atomic number 92, bur different isotopes.
How many neutrons are in Element 92?
Element number 92 is Uranium and there are two main isotopes - U235 and U238. In U235 there are 92 protons so there are 235 - 92 = 143 neutrons. In U238 there are thus 146 neutrons
How much 1kg of u235 can produce electricity in areactor?
It is estimated that 1 kilogram of U235 can produce approximately 24,000 MWh of electricity in a nuclear reactor. This amount can vary depending on the efficiency of the reactor and the specific conditions of operation.
What is the difference between using uranium for power or bombs?
In power reactors the fuel is uranium enriched slightly to about 4 percent U235 (the fissile isotope), whereas for a bomb you need the U235 as high as possible, in the high 90's I believe.
Which metal isotopes are generally used in atom bombs and nuclear reactors?
Nuclear reactors usually use uranium. U-235 is the isotope that undergoes fission, but it is usually only about 5% of the initial uranium in the fuel, the rest is U-238 which is not fissile itself but during reactor operation some turns into plutonium which is fissile and starts to contribute to the fuel output as the U-235 gets depleted. Atom bombs usually use plutonium-239 but can also be made from pure U-235.
