Chapter 32: Q14CQ (page 1182)
Why does the fusion of light nuclei into heavier nuclei release energy?
Short Answer
The reason for energy release is that heavier nuclei have more binding energy.
Chapter 32: Q14CQ (page 1182)
Why does the fusion of light nuclei into heavier nuclei release energy?
The reason for energy release is that heavier nuclei have more binding energy.
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Get started for freeThe activities of \(^{131}I\) and \(^{123}I\) used in thyroid scans are given in Table \({\rm{32}}{\rm{.1}}\) to be 50 and \(70\mu Ci\), respectively. Find and compare the masses of \(^{131}I\)and \(^{123}I\) in such scans, given their respective half-lives are \({\rm{8}}{\rm{.04\;d}}\)and \({\rm{13}}{\rm{.2\;h}}\). The masses are so small that the radioiodine is usually mixed with stable iodine as a carrier to ensure normal chemistry and distribution in the body.
Tritium is naturally rare, but can be produced by the reaction\(n{ + ^2}H{ \to ^3}H + \gamma \). How much energy in \(MeV\) is released in this neutron capture?
Compare a low dose of radiation to a human with a low dose of radiation used in food treatment.
A large power reactor that has been in operation for some months is turned off, but residual activity in the core still produces 150 MW of power. If the average energy per decay of the fission products is 1.00 MeV, what is the core activity in curies?
(a) Estimate the years that the deuterium fuel in the oceans could supply the energy needs of the world. Assume world energy consumption to be ten times that of the United States which is \(8 \times {10^9}J/y\) and that the deuterium in the oceans could be converted to energy with an efficiency of \(32\% \). You must estimate or look up the amount of water in the oceans and take the deuterium content to be \(0.015\% \) of natural hydrogen to find the mass of deuterium available. Note that approximate energy yield of deuterium is \(3.37 \times {10^{14}}J/kg\).
(b) Comment on how much time this is by any human measure. (It is not an unreasonable result, only an impressive one.)
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