GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -Thorium as a nuclear fuel. Thorium (Th-232) is not itself fissile and so is not directly usable in a thermal neutron reactor. However, it is ‘fertile’ and upon absorbing a neutron will transmute to uranium-233 (U-233)a, which is an excellent fissile fuel materialb.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are two basic fertile materials: uranium-238 and thorium-232. When these fertile materials capture neutrons, they are converted into fissile plutonium-239 and uranium-233, respectively.

Detailed explanation-3: -Uranium is the most widely used fuel by nuclear power plants for nuclear fission.

Detailed explanation-4: -Thorium-232 and uranium-238 are the only two naturally occurring fertile materials.

Detailed explanation-5: -A sample of uranium-238, a fertile material. Fertile is a term used to describe an isotope that is not itself fissile (it cannot simply undergo fission by thermal neutrons), but can be converted into a fissile material through irradiation in a nuclear reactor.