5. In a nuclear reaction, the total rest mass of the products is 0.004710 u greater...
Stars generate energy through nuclear fusion. A fusion reaction is exoergic (i.e., it gives off energy) if the product has a lower rest energy than the original nuclei. The binding energy of a nucleus is defined as the difference between the rest energy that the individual particles would have if they were not bound in a nucleus and the rest energy of the nucleus itself. So, stated another way, fusion reactions are exoergic if the binding energy of the product...
a) (15 p) We consider a nuclear reactor of power output P=1000 Megawatt (1000 million watts) electric, functioning with Plutonium. It is fueled, initially, with 1000 kg of Plutonium. The nuclear material in question is made of Plutonium nuclei, each 239 consisting in 94 protons and 239-94-145 neutrons, which is denominated by the symbol 94Pu. For thermodynamical rd reasons, only 1/3 of the nuclear energy in the form of heat produced by the reactor, can be converted into electricity. How...