Tutorial 8 : Nuclear Reaction

TUTORIAL 8
9.0 Nuclear Reaction

1. In a particular fission reaction, a nucleus capture a slow neutron; the fission

products are three neutrons, a nucleus, and a fission product .

Determine Z.

2. Uranium-238 is radioactive and decays by emitting 8 alpha particles and

6 beta particle in succession before reaching a stable from. What is the

final stable nucleus?

3. Complete and balance the equations for the following nuclear reaction by replacing
the question mark with the correct symbol:

a)

b)

c)

d)

4. Complete the following nuclear equations:

a)

b)

c)

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Tutorial 8 : Nuclear Reaction

5. Calculate the energy released in .

The mass of is 9.012183 u, is 12.000000 u, is 4.002603 u, and is

1.008665 u.
(5.70 MeV)

6. Neutrons are frequently detected by allowing them to be captures by boron-10

nuclei in a counter (similar to a Geiger counter) filled with B10F3 gas. The reaction is

Compute the energy released in this reaction, if the relevant rest masses are
neutron, 1.00866 u; boron-10, 10.01294 u; lithium-7, 7.01600 u; helium-4,
4.00260 u.
(2.79 MeV)

7. The following proton-proton cycle of nuclear reactions has been suggested as a

possible source of stellar energy:

The net result of these reactions is that four protons are combined to produce
an  particle , two positrons , two -ray photons, and two neutrinos (v).
Find the Q value of the cycle. The rest mass of atomic helium is 4.002603 u.
(24.69 MeV)

8. The following fusion reaction takes place in the sun and furnishes much of its
energy:

where is a positron, a positive electron. How much energy is released as 1 kg of

hydrogen is consumed? The masses of 1H, 4He, and positron are, respectively,
1.007825 u, 4.002604 u, and 0.000549 u, where atomic electron are included in the
first two values.
(5.7 x 1014 J)

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