Question

In: Physics

In a nuclear fusion reactor two nuclei of deuterium merge, forming a nucleus of helium. The...

In a nuclear fusion reactor two nuclei of deuterium merge, forming a nucleus of helium. The mass of the deuterium nucleus, expressed in units of atomic mass (u), is 2.0136u and of the helium nucleus is equal to 4.0015u (1u = 1.6605 × 10-27 kg). Determine the amount of energy released when 1.0 kg of deuterium is merged. Answer: 5,74 × 1014 J.

Solutions

Expert Solution

Energy released when 2 atoms of deuterium fuses to form an atom of helium is the mass difference between initial atoms and the final atoms

and using Einstein's mass-energy formula, we have

where c is the speed of light

This is the energy released by 2 atoms of deuterium

Hence the energy released 2 moles of deuterium is

2 moles of deuterium is

Hence the energy released by 1 kg or 1000 grams of deuterium is


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