(a) Which of the following statements about the uranium used in nuclear reactors is or are true? (i) Natural uranium has too little 235U to be used as a fuel. (ii) 238U cannot be used as a fuel because it forms a supercritical mass too easily. (iii) To be used as fuel, uranium must be enriched so that it is more than 50% 235U in composition. (iv) The neutron-induced fission of 235U releases more neutrons per nucleus than fission of 238U. (b) Which of the following statements about the plutonium shown in the chapter-opening photograph explains why it cannot be used for nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons? (i) None of the isotopes of Pu possess the characteristics needed to support nuclear fission chain reactions. (ii) The orange glow indicates that the only radioactive decay products are heat and visible light. (iii) The particular isotope of plutonium used for RTGs is incapable of sustaining a chain reaction. (iv) Plutonium can be used as a fuel, but only after it decays to uranium.
(a) Which of the following statements about the uranium used in nuclear reactors is or are true? (i) Natural uranium has too little 235U to be used as a fuel. (ii) 238U cannot be used as a fuel because it forms a supercritical mass too easily. (iii) To be used as fuel, uranium must be enriched so that it is more than 50% 235U in composition. (iv) The neutron-induced fission of 235U releases more neutrons per nucleus than fission of 238U. (b) Which of the following statements about the plutonium shown in the chapter-opening photograph explains why it cannot be used for nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons? (i) None of the isotopes of Pu possess the characteristics needed to support nuclear fission chain reactions. (ii) The orange glow indicates that the only radioactive decay products are heat and visible light. (iii) The particular isotope of plutonium used for RTGs is incapable of sustaining a chain reaction. (iv) Plutonium can be used as a fuel, but only after it decays to uranium.
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