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6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity

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Question 21

In a commercial nuclear fission reactor, uranium-235 nuclei undergo fission to release energy. During a specific operating interval, the total nuclear energy released by these fission reactions is 1.35 × 1011 J.

This energy, EEE, is produced by the conversion of a small amount of mass, Δm\Delta mΔm, according to the mass-energy equivalence equation:

E=Δmc2 E = \Delta m c^2 E=Δmc2

where c c\,c represents the speed of light, 3.0 × 108 m/s.

Calculate the mass defect (the decrease in mass), Δm\Delta mΔm, that corresponds to this energy release. Show your working.

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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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