Atomic mass unit (a.m.u.

)
The atomic mass unit (u) is the unit of mass for
atoms and subatomic particles such as the proton,
neutron and electron.
1 a.m.u or 1 u is 1 of the mass of the
12
carbon-12 atom.
1 u = 1.66 x 10
-27
!
Example 1
The mass of an atom "obalt-60 is #$.$%%&20 u.
'hat is the mass of the atom in ilo!ram(
Solution
Nuclear Fission
)uclear fission is the splittin! of a hea*+ nucleus
into t,o li!hter nuclei, ,hich subse-uentl+ emit
either t,o or three neutrons and release of lar!e
amounts of ener!+.
The example of a nuclear fission is sho,n as follo,.
'hen a uranium-2%# is bombarded b+ a neutron , it
is split into t,o fission fra!ments (/ripton-1%1 and
0arium-112 ) and three free neutrons.
2nother example of nuclear fission is .
Chain reaction
2 reaction that is self sustainin! as a result of the
products of one step initiatin! a subse-uent step.
3n nuclear chain reactions the succession depends
on the production and capture of neutrons.
Thus, one nucleus of isotope uranium-2%# can
disinte!rate ,ith production of t,o or three
neutrons, ,hich cause similar fission of ad4acent
nuclei. These in turn produce more neutrons ,hich
!o off and split other uranium atom - and so on.
2 controlled chain reaction is used in nuclear po,er
stations ,hile an uncontrolled chain reaction is
used in nuclear bombs.
Critical mass
The minimum mass of fission material that ,ill
sustain a nuclear chain reaction.
5or example , ,hen a nucleus of uranium-2%#
disinte!rates t,o or three neutrons are released in
the process, each of ,hich is capable of causin!
another nucleus to disinte!rate , so creatin! a chain
reaction. 6o,e*er, in a mass of 7-2%# less than the
critical mass, too man+ neutrons escape from the
surface of the material ,ithout hittin! , pre*entin! a
chain reaction from happenin!.
35
LESSON 4 - Understanding
nuclear energy.
3n the atom bomb, therefore, t,o or more sub-
critical masses ha*e to brou!ht to!ether to mae a
mass in excess of the critical mass before the bomb
,ill explode.
Nuclear Fusion
)uclear fusion is the combinin! of t,o li!hter nuclei
to form a hea*ier nucleus ,ith the release of lar!e
amount of ener!+.
The example of a nuclear fusion is sho,n as follo,.
)uclear fusion is belie*ed to be process b+ ,hich
ener!+ is released b+ the 8un. 'hen t,o
h+dro!en-2 nuclei mo*in! at hi!h speed collide,
the+ can 4oin to!ether to produce a hea*ier
nucleus. 2 lar!e amount of ener!+ is released.
The temperature of a !as must be hi!h !i*in! a
hi!h a*era!e inetic ener!+. 9ue to the re-uirement
of hi!h temperature, nuclear fusion is also no,n
as a thermonuclear reaction.
6+dro!en bombs are made follo,in! the principle
of nuclear fusion.
2nother example of nuclear fusion is .
Nuclear Energy
2ccordin! to 2lbert :instein, 3n a nuclear reaction
(nuclear fission and fusion) neither mass nor ener!+
are conser*ed separatel+ but the+ can exchan!ed
one for the other and onl+ the ;mass-ener!+< is
conser*ed. 2 loss of mass means that the mass
has chan!ed to ener!+.
The relationship bet,een the mass and the ener!+
is !i*en b+ the e-uation.
'here E = ener!+ released
m= loss of mass or mass defect
c = speed of li!ht = % x 10
&
ms
-1
Example 2
=olonium-210 under!oes alpha deca+ to become
plumbum-206 . The e-uation for the deca+ is.
210 206 1
=o =b > 6e > ener!+
&2 &1 2
2dditional information.
?ass =o = 20$.$&2 u
?ass =b = 20#.$6$ u
?ass 6e = 1.001 u
1 u = 1.66 x 10
-27
!
c = % x 10
&
ms
-1
7sin! the e-uation and the information abo*e ,
calculate
(a) The mass defect
(b) The ener!+ released
(c) The po,er !enerated in 2 ms
Solution
36
E = mc
2
eneration o! electricity !rom nuclear energy "
Nuclear #o$er Station
The ener!+ released from nuclear fission can be
used to !enerate electricit+. 2 nuclear po,er station
consists t,o main components.
(a) )uclear reactor
(b) @enerator
The main components of nuclear reactor .
"omponent 5unction
@raphite core 2cts as moderator to slo, do,n
the fast neutrons produced b+ the
fission.
3n some nuclear po,er plant, the
moderator is ,ater.
7ranium rod
(fuel)
To produce nuclear po,er ,hen
the fission reactions occur in the
uranium rod
0oron control
rod
To control the rate of fission
reaction.
The control rods are lo,ered into
the reactor core to absorb some of
the neutrons and thus reduce the
rate of the fission reaction.
8ometimes the rod is made of
cadmium
"oolant To tae a,a+ heat from the
nuclear reactor.
A6ea*+B ,ater and carbon dioxide
are used as coolant because the+
ha*e hi!h specific heat capacit+.
"oncrete
shield
To pre*ent leaa!e of radiation
from the reactor core
The main components of !enerator .
"omponent 5unction
8team
!enerator
To chan!e ,ater into steam ,hen
the ,ater in the !enerator is
heated.
The steam then dri*es the turbines
Turbine To turn the coils in the d+namo in
the electrical !enerator to produce
electricit+
%he &ros and cons o! using nuclear !ission to
generate electricity
)uclear po,er is contro*ersial. 6ere are some
ar!uments for and a!ainst usin! nuclear po,er
station to !enerate electricit+.
1. )uclear po,er pro*ides cheaper electricit+
than an+ other method because the
nuclear po,er stations need less fuel than
stations ,hich use fossil fuels.
The price of nuclear fuel is more stable
than fossil fuels.
Cast reser*es of nuclear fuel in the ,orld.
2. 8afet+ procedures in the administration of
nuclear reactors are *er+ ad*anced and
safe.
'orers in nuclear po,er stations are at
less ris than those in other ener!+
industries. ?an+ people ha*e been illed
in accidents in coal minin! and oil ri!sD
*er+ fe, comparable accidents ha*e
occurred in nuclear po,er stations.
%. )uclear po,er is clean because produces
less ,aste than fossil fuels.
0urnin! fossil fuels in po,er stations does
more dama!e to the en*ironment than
nuclear po,er stations. Ene of the ma4or
causes of acid rain is the sulphur dioxide
and nitro!en dioxides released from
burnin! coal in po,er stations.
8o nuclear po,er does not add to the
!reenhouse effect.
1. =roduces useful radioisotopes as b+-
products that can be used in industr+,
medicine, a!riculture and research.
37
1. The initial cost to desi!n and build a
nuclear po,er station is *er+ hi!h.
7sed fuel rods are *er+ hot and hi!hl+
radioacti*e ,ith *er+ lon! hal*e-li*es.
:xpensi*e procedures are re-uired to
cool do,n the rods and store them.
2. There is al,a+s a ris of accidents. 3f
somethin! !oes ,ron! ,ith a nuclear
po,er station , it is *er+ much more
serious than an accident at a
con*entional po,er station. The effects
cross national boundaries and can be felt
man+ hundreds of ilometers a,a+.
The hot ,ater dischar!ed from the
nuclear po,er stations can be caused
thermal pollution.
=eople ,ho ,or in the nuclear po,er
station and those li*in! nearb+ ma+ be
exposed to excessi*e radiations.
The ar!uments about nuclear po,er do not lead to
an+ clear conclusion. 3t is not the sort of -uestion
,hich can be resol*ed and ans,ered b+ simpl+
looin! at the facts. 5or some people one of these
points is so important that it out,ei!hs all the
others. )o one can simpl+ ,ei!h up all the
e*idence and arri*e at the Ari!htB decision. There ,ill
al,a+s be room for discussion and ar!ument.
38
' 2 7ranium-2%# nucleus ,ill split ,hen it
captures
A an alpha particle
( a !amma ra+
C a neutron
) a proton
* 'hich of the follo,in! nuclear reactions is an
example of fusion(
A C
14
6
N
14
7
+ e
0
1 -
+ ener!+
( H
2
1
+ H
2
1
He
3
2
+ e
0
1 -
+
ener!+
C Na
21
11
Mg
21
12
+ + ener!+
) Ra
226
88
Rn
222
86
+ + ener!+
+ The dia!ram sho,s the start of a chain
reaction.
'hich nuclear reaction is tain! place(
A 5ission of h+dro!en
( 5usion of h+dro!en
C 5ission of uranium
) 5usion of uranium
4 3t is possible for a chain reaction to occur in
nuclear fission because
A ne, neutrons are produced
( t,o fission fra!ments are produced
C a lar!e amount of ener!+ is released
) fission does not re-uire a *er+ hi!h
temperature
, 3n a nuclear reactor , the neutrons produced
are slo,ed do,n b+
A 7ranium rod
( @raphite core
C 0oron control rod
- 'hat ener!+ chan!es tae place in a nuclear
po,er station(
A 6eat ener!+ ?echanical ener!+
)uclear ener!+
( )uclear ener!+ 6eat ener!+
:lectrical ener!+
C 6eat ener!+ )uclear ener!+
:lectrical ener!+
) ?echanical ener!+ 6eat ener!+
:lectrical ener!+
. 'hich of the follo,in! is not true about a
nuclear reactor(
"omponent 5unction
A "ontrol rod To control the rate of
fission reaction.
( "oolant To tae a,a+ heat from
the nuclear reactor
C @raphite
core
To slo, do,n the fast
neutrons produced b+ the
fission.
) "oncrete
shield
To pre*ent the
radioacti*e radiations
from atmosphere
enterin! into the nuclear
reactor
/ 'hich of the follo,in! nuclear reactions is an
example of fission(
A H
2
1
+ H
2
1
He
4
2
+ ener!+
( N
14
7
+ neutron N
15
7
+ ener!+
C Pu
214
94
U
237
92
+ + ener!+
) U
239
92
Sr
95
38
+ Xe
141
54
+
% neutrons + ener!+
0 3n the sun, ener!+ is released ,hen h+dro!en
nuclei collide and form hea*ier nuclei. This
process is called
A 3onisation
( 9iffusion
C 5ission
) 5usion
39
%U%O12AL 4
'3 3n ,hich t+pe of nuclear reaction are the nuclei
hea*ier after the reaction than the ,ere
before(
A - deca+
( - deca+
C )uclear fission
) )uclear fusion
'' hat happen ,hen t,o nuclei of deuterium (
H
2
1
) fuse to!ether to form a nucleus helium
( He
4
2
) (
A ?ass and ener!+ are both created
( :ner!+ and mass are both lost
C ?ass is con*erted into ener!+
) :ner!+ is con*erted into mass
'* 'hich of the follo,in! is made b+ usin! the
principle of nuclear fusion.
A 2tom bomb
( 6+dro!en bomb
C )uclear reactor
'+ 'hich of the follo,in! is not the similarit+
bet,een nuclear fission and nuclear fusion(
A 0oth of the nuclear reactions experience
mass defect
( 0oth of the nuclear reactions produced a
lar!e amount of ener!+
C 0oth of the nuclear reactions produced
ne, nuclei
) 0oth of the nuclear reactions re-uire
*er+ hi!h temperature
'4 2 nuclear reaction is !i*en b+ the e-uation
F G > H
'hich of the follo,in! is correct(
A The nucleon number of F I The nucleon
number of G > nucleon number of H
( The proton number of F I The proton
number of G > proton number of H
C The atomic mass of F I The atomic
mass of G > the atomic mass of H
', The mass defect in a nuclear reaction is
2 x 10
-%
!. 'hat is the released(
J 8peed of li!ht = %.0 x 10
&
ms
-1
K
A 1.& x 10
11
L ( 1.& x 10
17
L
C 1.6 x 10
11
L ) 1.6 x 10
17
L
E 1.6 x 10
1&
L
'- The mass defect in a nuclear reaction is
0.0# u. 'hat is the released(
J 8peed of li!ht = %.0 x 10
&
ms
-1
,
1 u = 11.7 x 10
-27
! K
A 2.## x 10
-21
L ( #.10 x 10
-1$
L
C %.&% x 10
-1%
L ) 7.6# x 10
-1%
L
E &.$7 x 10
-1%
L
'. 2 nuclear reaction is represented b+ the
follo,in! e-uation.
U
235
92
+ n
1
0
Cs
141
55
+ Rb
93
37
+
F n
1
0
+ ener!+
The information about the e-uation is sho,n
as follo,.
?ass of U
235
92
= 2%#.01%$2 u
?ass of n
1
0
= 1.00&67 u
?ass of Cs
141
55
= 110.$1$6% u
?ass of Rb
93
37
= $2.$21#7 u
1 u = 11.7 x 10
-27
!
8peed of li!ht = %.0 x 10
&
ms
-1
(a) 'hat is the *alue of F(
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(b) )ame the nuclear reaction in*ol*ed.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(c) 'hat is the meanin! of the nuclear
reaction in (b)(
................................................................
.................................................................
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(d) 8tate one application of the nuclear
reaction in (b)
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(e) "alculate
40
(i) the ener!+ released .
(ii) the po,er !enerated in # Ns.
'/ Table (a) sho,s an e-uation of a reaction and
total atomic mass before and after a nuclear
fission.
Nuclear !ission
0efore reaction 2fter reaction
:-uation
2%$
=u >
1
n
$1 0
11#
0a >
$%
8r >

#6 %&
2
1
n > :ner!+
0
Total
atomic
mass
210.060&2 u 2%$.&#&%0 u
Table (a)
Table (b) sho,s an e-uation of a reaction and
total atomic mass before and after a nuclear
fusion.
Nuclear !usion
0efore reaction 2fter reaction
:-uation
2
6 >
%
6
1 1
1
6e >
1
n >
2

0

:ner!+
Total
atomic
mass
#.0%01% u #.0101% u
Table (b)
(a) (i) 'hat is meant b+ a nuclear fission (
(ii) 7sin! only the information !i*en in
Table(a) and (b), compare nuclear
fission and nuclear fusion. 6ence state
the relationship bet,een mass and
ener!+ in*ol*ed.
(b) )uclear fission produces a chain reaction.
9escribe ho, the chain reaction happens in a
nuclear fission of an atom of uranium.
41