Question

1. Exercise 2.1. Calculate the number of curies in one gram of Co-60 if Co-60 has a half life of 5.27 years.
2. Exercise 2.2. Calculate the Iodine-135 to Xenon-135 ratio (NI/NXe) at which the decay rates of the two nuclides are equal. The half life of I-135 is 6.6 hours and the half life of Xe-135 is 9.1 hours.
3. Exercise 2.3. Compare the spontaneous fission (SF) rate of Pu-240 to the SF rate of U-238 if N240 = 2 x 1019 atoms/cm3, N238 = 2 x 1022 atoms/cm3, and the fuel volume is 107 cm3. The SF half life of U-238 is 1016 years, and the SF half life of Pu-240 is 1011 years.
4. Exercise 2.4. Calculate the microscopic fission cross section, sf, of U-235 if the average fuel temperature is 1300°F. (σf = 585 b at 68oF).
5. Exercise 2.5. Calculate the macroscopic fission cross section of U-235 if the fuel temperature is 1300°F, and the number density of U-235 is 6.1 x 1020 atoms/cm3.
6. Exercise 2.6. In Table 5-2 of the IAEA text, various cross sections are specified for thermal neutrons in different fuels, unfortunately, the labeling of the fuels is not correct. Your assignment is to identify and correctly specify the fuels (use the cross section values specified in the Chart of the Nuclides to do this). Some of the cross section values shown in the Chart of the Nuclides may not exactly match, so you may have to assume they are not exactly correct either.

Answer 1