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6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity

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Question 31

The moderator in a nuclear fission reactor slows down the neutrons released during fission so they can be captured by other uranium nuclei.

In a typical reactor:

  • the average speed of the fast neutrons immediately after fission is 1.5 × 107 m/s
  • the average speed of the slow (thermal) neutrons after passing through the moderator is 3.0 × 103 m/s

Calculate the average speed of the slow neutrons as a percentage of the average speed of the fast neutrons. Give your answer in standard form or as a decimal.

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Markscheme

6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity Questions

  1. GCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity

94 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity, covering 6.5.1 Uses of radioactivity, 6.5.2 Dangers of ionising radiation and precautions, 6.5.3 Half-life and radiation dangers, 6.5.4 Safety precautions for radiation exposure, and 6.5.5 Contamination and irradiation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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