Nuclear power plants convert the energy released in fission reactions to electric energy. Consider one such power plant that generates 1.00 GW of electric power. The fission of each uranium-235 nucleus releases 250 MeV of energy. The power released by the fission reactions is converted to electric power with a 41.0% efficiency. How much uranium-235 per day, by mass in kg, undergoes fission at this power plant?
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fission is a type of nuclear reaction in which heavier nuclei split into lighter nuclei by releasing a large quantity of energy. The elements like uranium-235 and plutonium-239 isotope undergo nuclear fission releasing energy. When nuclei undergo fission, some quantity of mass is lost. The lost mass is converted to nuclear energy. Nuclear fission reaction is used in nuclear power plants and atomic bombs. In nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors are used to generate electricity.
Endothermic Nuclear Reaction
A nuclear reaction can be described as a process where two atoms, or two nuclei or nucleus and subatomic particles such as a proton, neutron interact together, and a large amount of energy is produced and new elements are also produced.
Nuclear power plants convert the energy released in fission reactions to electric energy. Consider one such power plant that generates 1.00 GW of electric power. The fission of each uranium-235 nucleus releases 250 MeV of energy. The power released by the fission reactions is converted to electric power with a 41.0% efficiency. How much uranium-235 per day, by mass in kg, undergoes fission at this power plant?
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