GK
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
|
|
U-233
|
|
U-234
|
|
U-238
|
|
U-239
|
Detailed explanation-1: -Nuclear power plants use a certain type of uranium-U-235-as fuel because its atoms are easily split apart. Although uranium is about 100 times more common than silver, U-235 is relatively rare at just over 0.7% of natural uranium.
Detailed explanation-2: -The nucleus of the U-235 atom contains 92 protons and 143 neutrons, giving an atomic mass of 235 units. The U-238 nucleus also has 92 protons but has 146 neutrons – three more than U-235 – and therefore has a mass of 238 units.
Detailed explanation-3: -And Uranium-238 decays very slowly and it is barely radioactive. The nucleus of Uranium-235 is called “fissile” and Uranium-238 is called “fertile”. This means that U-235 on the strike of a neutron gives a tremendous amount of energy.