Question

Nuclear Energy

The element carbon has three natural isotopes: C-12, C-13, and C-14.
Use the periodic table to find the number of protons in a carbon atom.
Then make a drawing to show the nuclei of the three carbon isotopes.
Your drawing should convey the number of protons and neutrons in each of the three different nuclei.
Carbon-12 and Carbon-13 are stable, whereas Carbon-14 is unstable.
Which isotope of carbon is most likely to undergo natural radioactive decay?
Which one would be called a radioisotope?
Explain the three processes of nuclear change and what is produced during as a result of that change.
Why is U-235 the most common nuclear fuel instead of the more abundant U-238? State a clear topic sentence and support it with evidence.
Create a flow chart to show how uranium is processed for use in a nuclear reactor.

Answer 1

Carbon has six protons in its nucleus. Carbon-14 is the most likely isotope of carbon to undergo natural radioactive decay. U-235 is the most common nuclear fuel instead of the more abundant U-238.

Step-by-step explanation:

The element carbon has six protons in its nucleus, as indicated by its atomic number of 6. The three isotopes of carbon can be represented by the following drawings:

Carbon-12: 6 protons, 6 neutrons

Carbon-13: 6 protons, 7 neutrons

Carbon-14: 6 protons, 8 neutrons

Carbon-14 is the most likely isotope of carbon to undergo natural radioactive decay. It is considered a radioisotope because it is unstable and will lose protons, neutrons, or energy to become more stable. The three processes of nuclear change are alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay. Each process results in the formation of different particles or radiation, such as alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays.

U-235 is the most common nuclear fuel instead of the more abundant U-238 because U-235 is more easily fissionable, meaning it can undergo nuclear fission when bombarded with neutrons. U-238 is not as easily fissionable and requires higher-energy neutrons for fission to occur. This topic sentence is supported by the fact that U-235 has a fission cross-section that is significantly higher than U-238, making it a better fuel for nuclear reactors.

Here is a flow chart showing the process of uranium processing for use in a nuclear reactor:

1. Uranium ore is mined from the earth
2. The uranium ore is processed to produce yellowcake, a concentrated form of uranium
3. The yellowcake is then converted to uranium hexafluoride (UF6)
4. The UF6 is enriched to increase the concentration of U-235
5. The enriched UF6 is converted back to a solid form
6. The solid uranium, now suitable for use as nuclear fuel, is loaded into fuel rods and inserted into a nuclear reactor.

Answer 2

When uranium is mined, it consists of approximately 99.3% uranium-238 (U238), 0.7% uranium-235 (U235), and < 0.01% uranium-234 (U234). These are the different uranium isotopes. Isotopes of uranium contain 92 protons in the atom's center or nucleus. (The number of protons in the nucleus is what makes the atoms "uranium.") The U238 atoms contain 146 neutrons, the U235 atoms contain 143 neutrons, and the U234 atoms contain only 142 neutrons. The total number of protons plus neutrons gives the atomic mass of each isotope — that is 238, 235, or 234, respectively. On an atomic level, the size and weight of these isotopes are slightly different. This implies that with the right equipment and under the right conditions, the isotopes can be separated.

Step-by-step explanation: