Calculations Complete the calculations for each nuclear reaction listed below.

Use these resources to better understand the activity at hand and to help in your tasks:

Conversions:

1MeV = 1.6 x 10-13 J
Energy use per person per year in the United States = 3.5 x 1011 Joules
(estimated, varies by source, August 2009)
Approximate population of USA: 310,000,000

Question 1
Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Reaction

Given: energy released = 17.59 MeV per deuterium/tritium reaction pair (mass = 5 amu)

Part A
List the balanced nuclear reaction.

Question 1
Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Reaction

Given: energy released = 17.59 MeV per deuterium/tritium reaction pair (mass = 5 amu)

Part A
List the balanced nuclear reaction.

Question 1
Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Reaction

Given: energy released = 17.59 MeV per deuterium/tritium reaction pair (mass = 5 amu)

Part A
List the balanced nuclear reaction.

Part B
Determine the energy released per kilogram of fuel used.

Given MeV per reaction, calculate energy in joules per kilogram of reactants.
Consider 1 mole of tritium plus 1 mole of deuterium to be a mole of “reactions” (total molar mass = 5 grams).
Part C
Determine the mass of fuel required for the expected energy consumption in the United States for the next 10 years.

Energy use per person per year in the United States = 3.5 × 1011 joules.
Base your calculations on a current population of 310,000,000.
Question 2
Uranium-235 Fission

Given: energy released = about 200 MeV per individual reaction (mass = 235 amu)

Part A
Find the balanced nuclear reaction.
Part B
Determine the energy released per kilogram of fuel used.

Given MeV per reaction, calculate energy in joules per kilogram of reactants.
Consider 1 mole of uranium-235 to be a mole of “reactions” (molar mass = 235 grams).
Part C
Determine the mass of fuel required for the expected energy consumption in the United States for the next 10 years:

Provide the energy use per person per year in the United States = 3.5 × 1011 joules.
Base your calculations on a current population of 310,000,000.
Question 3
Plutonium-235

Given: energy released = about 200 MeV per individual reaction (mass = 239 amu)

Part A
List the balanced nuclear reaction.
Part B
Determine the energy released per kilogram of fuel used.

Given MeV per reaction, calculate energy in joules per kilogram of reactants.
Consider 1 mole of plutonium-239 to be a mole of “reactions” (molar mass = 239 grams).
Part C
Determine the mass of fuel required for the expected energy consumption in the United States for the next 10 years.

Energy use per person per year in the United States = 3.5 × 1011 joules.
Base your calculations on a current population of 310,000,000.