In World War 2, scientists at Oak Ridge Tennessee (USA) used gaseous diffusion as one method of separating the uranium isotopes 235 and 238, in order to obtain higher concentrations of the fissionable 235 isotope, which has a natural abundance of less than 1%. To accomplish this, natural uranium was put into the form of a gas UF6 and then allowed to diffuse through a porous barrier. A) What is the difference in the rms speed of UF6 molecules consisting of the two isotopes at T = 300 K? B) Repeat part A) if the temperature is raised to T = 800 K.

In World War 2, scientists at Oak Ridge Tennessee (USA) used gaseous diffusion as one method of separating the uranium isotopes 235 and 238, in order to obtain higher concentrations of the fissionable 235 isotope, which has a natural abundance of less than 1%. To accomplish this, natural uranium was put into the form of a gas UF6 and then allowed to diffuse through a porous barrier. A) What is the difference in the rms speed of UF6 molecules consisting of the two isotopes at T = 300 K? B) Repeat part A) if the temperature is raised to T = 800 K.