Natural absorbs a neutron to form an excited compound nucleus which promptly fissions…

PHYSICS · Subjective · CBSE · Physics · Nuclei · Nuclei

Problem

Natural

^{238}_{\;92}\text U

absorbs a neutron to form an excited compound nucleus

^{239}_{\;92}\text U^{*}

which promptly fissions as follows:

^{238}_{\;92}\text U + ^{1}_{0}\text n \;\longrightarrow\; ^{95}_{\;37}\text{Rb} + ^{140}_{\;55}\text{Cs} + 4\,^{1}_{0}\text n

The atomic masses are:

^{238}\text U = 238.050788\,\text u

,\;

^{1}\text n = 1.008665\,\text u

,\;

^{95}\text{Rb} = 94.911655\,\text u

,\;

^{140}\text{Cs} = 139.905438\,\text u

. Assume

1\,\text u = 931\,\text{MeV}

. (i) Compute the total mass defect for the process. (ii) Calculate the energy released per fission event in

\text{MeV}

. (iii) If

5.0\,\text{g}

^{238}\text U

are completely consumed in a reactor through the above reaction in

10\,\text h

, determine the average power output of the reactor in

\text{MW}