(a) Estimate the years that the deuterium fuel in the oceanscould supply the energy needs of the world. Assume worldenergy consumption to be ten times that of the United Stateswhich is 8×1019 J/y and that the deuterium in the oceanscould be converted to energy with an efficiency of 32%. Youmust estimate or look up the amount of water in the oceansand take the deuterium content to be 0.015% of naturalhydrogen to find the mass of deuterium available. Note thatapproximate energy yield of deuterium is 3.37×1014 J/kg.(b) Comment on how much time this is by any humanmeasure. (It is not an unreasonable result, only an impressiveone.)
Radioactive decay
The emission of energy to produce ionizing radiation is known as radioactive decay. Alpha, beta particles, and gamma rays are examples of ionizing radiation that could be released. Radioactive decay happens in radionuclides, which are imbalanced atoms. This periodic table's elements come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Several of these kinds are stable like nitrogen-14, hydrogen-2, and potassium-40, whereas others are not like uranium-238. In nature, one of the most stable phases of an element is usually the most prevalent. Every element, meanwhile, has an unstable state. Unstable variants are radioactive and release ionizing radiation. Certain elements, including uranium, have no stable forms and are constantly radioactive. Radionuclides are elements that release ionizing radiation.
Artificial Radioactivity
The radioactivity can be simply referred to as particle emission from nuclei due to the nuclear instability. There are different types of radiation such as alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Along with these there are different types of decay as well.
(a) Estimate the years that the deuterium fuel in the oceans
could supply the energy needs of the world. Assume world
energy consumption to be ten times that of the United States
which is 8×1019 J/y and that the deuterium in the oceans
could be converted to energy with an efficiency of 32%. You
must estimate or look up the amount of water in the oceans
and take the deuterium content to be 0.015% of natural
hydrogen to find the mass of deuterium available. Note that
approximate energy yield of deuterium is 3.37×1014 J/kg.
(b) Comment on how much time this is by any human
measure. (It is not an unreasonable result, only an impressive
one.)
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