Question

A sample of shale contains 0.03% 238U by weight. Calculate the number of spontaneous fissions in one day in a 106 kg pile of the shale by determining the following quantities. The density of uranium is 19 g/cm3. The spontaneous fission activity rate is 0.69 fissions/(kg·s).

Answer 1

a)mass = 300kg

b) no of atoms = 1.81 x 10^26atoms.

c)Fission Activity = 207Bq

d) no of fissions = 1.79 × 107 d^-1

Step-by-step explanation:

a)mass= (3×10-4)(10^6kg) = 300kg

b) no of atoms = (300kg) X (6.022×10^23/kg) = 1.81 x 10^26atoms.

c)Fission Activity = (0.69)(300kg) = 207Bq

d) no of fissions = (207)(86400) = 1.79 × 107 d^-1