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Chapter 21: Problem 41

Discuss the differences between a light water and a heavy water nuclear fission reactor. What are the advantages of a breeder reactor over a conventional nuclear fission reactor?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The differences between light water and heavy water nuclear fission reactors are about the type of water and uranium used. Light water reactors use normal water and enriched uranium while heavy water reactors use heavy water and natural uranium. Breeder reactors are superior to conventional fission reactors as they generate more fissile material than they consume, increasing power generation from a given nuclear fuel volume.

Step by step solution

01

Discussing light water and heavy water nuclear fission reactors

Understand that nuclear reactors use uranium as fuel and rely on water as a moderator. The main difference between light water and heavy water reactors lies in the type of water used and the treatment of uranium fuel. Light water reactors use normal water (H2O) and require enriched uranium. On the other hand, heavy water reactors use deuterium-oxide (D2O, heavy water) and can utilize natural uranium.
02

Identifying the advantages of light water and heavy water reactors

Light water reactors are generally cheaper and easier to operate, but they produce more nuclear waste and are less efficient in fuel usage. Heavy water reactors are costly and technically challenging, but they are more efficient in fuel usage, produce less waste, and can use natural uranium, which is more abundant.
03

Describing breeder reactors and their advantages over conventional fission reactors

A breeder reactor is a type of nuclear reactor that creates more fissile material than it consumes. The main advantage of a breeder reactor over a conventional nuclear fission reactor lies in the efficient use of fuel. Breeder reactors generate power from both uranium-238 and plutonium-239, significantly increasing the amount of power that can be generated from a given amount of nuclear fuel.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Define nuclear binding energy, mass defect, and nucleon.

(a) Calculate the energy released when a \({ }^{238} \mathrm{U}\) isotope decays to \({ }^{234} \mathrm{Th} .\) The atomic masses are given by: \(^{238} \mathrm{U}: 238.0508 \mathrm{amu} ;{ }^{234} \mathrm{Th}: 234.0436 \mathrm{amu} ;{ }^{4} \mathrm{He}\) 4.0026 amu. (b) The energy released in (a) is transformed into the kinetic energy of the recoiling \({ }^{234} \mathrm{Th}\) nucleus and the \(\alpha\) particle. Which of the two will move away faster? Explain.

The quantity of a radioactive material is often measured by its activity (measured in curies or millicuries) rather than by its mass. In a brain scan procedure, a 70 -kg patient is injected with \(20.0 \mathrm{mCi}\) of \({ }^{99 \mathrm{~m}} \mathrm{Tc}\) which decays by emitting \(\gamma\) -ray photons with a halflife of \(6.0 \mathrm{~h}\). Given that the \(\mathrm{RBE}\) of these photons is 0.98 and only two-thirds of the photons are absorbed by the body, calculate the rem dose received by the patient. Assume all of the \({ }^{99 \mathrm{~m}}\) Tc nuclei decay while in the body. The energy of a gamma photon is \(2.29 \times 10^{-14} \mathrm{~J}\).

Why is it preferable to use nuclear binding energy per nucleon for a comparison of the stabilities of different nuclei?

These equations are for nuclear reactions that are known to occur in the explosion of an atomic bomb. Identify X. (a) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{56}^{140} \mathrm{Ba}+3{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}+\mathrm{X}\) (b) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{55}^{144} \mathrm{Cs}+{ }_{37}^{90} \mathrm{Rb}+2 \mathrm{X}\) (c) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{35}^{87} \mathrm{Br}+3{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}+\mathrm{X}\) (d) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{62}^{160} \mathrm{Sm}+{ }_{30}^{72} \mathrm{Zn}+4 \mathrm{X}\)
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