The following explanation of a fission reactor contains many errors. Please correct as many as you can find. You may copy the whole text out while correcting the errors; in that case please underline what you have changed. You may prefer to use conventional instructions to printers, of the form, para 1 line 1 for ”harnessing” read ”exploiting”, which would cause thetexttoread”. . . byexploitingtheenergy. . . ” A nuclear fission reactor fuelled by uranium operates by harnessing the energy released during the fusing (fission) of uranium atoms into three or four lighter nuclei with less bind- ing energy. Uranium-238 (U-238) is the fissile isotope used. Fission is triggered when the U238 is bombarded by neutrinos, which are absorbed by the orbiting electrons. When a U-235 nucleus undergoes fission, it releases several neutrinos. If these neutrinos are ab- sorbed by other U-235 nuclei, they undergo fission, releasing more neutrinos. This process continues in a chain reaction, giving a sustained generation of energy. Natural uranium consists primarily of U-235 isotopes and only about 0.7% U-238. For efficient energy production, the concentration of U-235 needs to be increased. This pro- cess is called enrichment, where the proportion of U-235 is increased to around 3-5% for use in most nuclear reactors. The rest of the U235 is retained to act as a modera- tor. Neutrinos released during fission reactions move at the speed of light and need to be slowed down to increase the probability of being captured by U-235 nuclei and sustaining the chain reaction. A moderator, typically made of materials like water, graphite, or heavy water (deuterium oxide), slows down the neutrinos through collisions while preserving their kinetic energy. Control rods made of materials like bromine or U-235 are inserted or withdrawn into the reactor core to regulate the rate of the chain reaction. By absorbing neutrinos, control rods can slow down or halt the reaction as needed, ensuring safe operation. The energy re- leased during fission reactions is primarily in the form of light. This light is absorbed by a conductor circulating through the reactor core, typically liquid sodium or gas, which then transfers the light to a secondary loop of water to generate steam, to drive a gas turbine- alternator set to generate electricity. This electricity can then be distributed to users. [10 marks]
-
The following explanation of a fission reactor contains many errors. Please correct as many as you can find. You may copy the whole text out while correcting the errors; in that case please underline what you have changed. You may prefer to use conventional instructions to printers, of the form, para 1 line 1 for ”harnessing” read ”exploiting”, which would cause thetexttoread”. . . byexploitingtheenergy. . . ”
A nuclear fission reactor fuelled by uranium operates by harnessing the energy released during the fusing (fission) of uranium atoms into three or four lighter nuclei with less bind- ing energy. Uranium-238 (U-238) is the fissile isotope used. Fission is triggered when the U238 is bombarded by neutrinos, which are absorbed by the orbiting electrons. When a U-235 nucleus undergoes fission, it releases several neutrinos. If these neutrinos are ab- sorbed by other U-235 nuclei, they undergo fission, releasing more neutrinos. This process continues in a chain reaction, giving a sustained generation of energy.
Natural uranium consists primarily of U-235 isotopes and only about 0.7% U-238. For efficient energy production, the concentration of U-235 needs to be increased. This pro- cess is called enrichment, where the proportion of U-235 is increased to around 3-5% for use in most nuclear reactors. The rest of the U235 is retained to act as a modera- tor. Neutrinos released during fission reactions move at the speed of light and need to be slowed down to increase the probability of being captured by U-235 nuclei and sustaining the chain reaction. A moderator, typically made of materials like water, graphite, or heavy water (deuterium oxide), slows down the neutrinos through collisions while preserving their kinetic energy. Control rods made of materials like bromine or U-235 are inserted or withdrawn into the reactor core to regulate the rate of the chain reaction. By absorbing neutrinos, control rods can slow down or halt the reaction as needed, ensuring safe operation. The energy re- leased during fission reactions is primarily in the form of light. This light is absorbed by a conductor circulating through the reactor core, typically liquid sodium or gas, which then transfers the light to a secondary loop of water to generate steam, to drive a gas turbine- alternator set to generate electricity. This electricity can then be distributed to users.
[10 marks]
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
