Skip to main content
Ch.20 - Nuclear Chemistry
Chapter 20, Problem 9

How much energy in kJ/mol is released by the fission of uranium-235 to form barium-140 and krypton-93? The atomic masses are (a) 6.59 x 10^9 kJ/mol (b) 1.66 x 10^10 kJ/mol (c) 1.98 x 10^11 kJ/mol (d) 1.66 x 10^16 kJ/mol

Verified Solution

Video duration:
3m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear fission is a process in which a heavy nucleus, such as uranium-235, splits into two smaller nuclei, along with the release of energy and neutrons. This reaction is typically initiated by the absorption of a neutron. The energy released during fission is due to the conversion of mass into energy, as described by Einstein's equation E=mc².
Recommended video:
Guided course
03:29
Band of Stability: Nuclear Fission

Mass Defect and Binding Energy

The mass defect refers to the difference between the mass of the original nucleus and the total mass of the resulting fragments after fission. This mass difference is converted into energy, which can be calculated using the binding energy formula. The greater the mass defect, the more energy is released during the fission process, making it a crucial factor in determining the energy output.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:06
Nuclear Binding Energy

Energy Calculations in kJ/mol

Energy released in nuclear reactions is often expressed in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol) to provide a standardized measure of energy per amount of substance. To calculate this, one must consider the total energy released during the fission process and convert it from joules to kilojoules, while also accounting for the number of moles of the reactants involved in the reaction.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:51
Gibbs Free Energy of Reactions
Related Practice
Textbook Question
In a cave in Oregon, archaeologists found bones, plant remains, and fossilized feces. DNA remaining in the feces indi-cates their human origin but not their age. To date the remains, the decay rate was measured and found to be 2.71 disinte-grations/min per gram of carbon. Currently living organisms have a decay rate of 15.3 disintegrations/min per gram of carbon, and the half-life of 14C is 5715 years. How old are the remains? (a) 1460 years (b) 9900 years (c) 14300 years (d) 18600 years
319
views
Textbook Question
Calculate the binding energy a uranium-235 nucleus in units of MeV/nucleon. The mass of an 235U atom is 235.043 929, the mass of a proton is 1.007 28, the mass of a neutron is 1.008 67, and the mass of an electron is 5.486 x 10^-4. (1 MeV = 1.60 x 10^-13 J) (a) 2.84 MeV/nucleon (b) 1.70 x 10^3 MeV/nucleon (c) 11.3 MeV/nucleon (d) 7.62 MeV/nucleon
2463
views
Textbook Question
Identify the true statement about nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. (a) Nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons both use uranium enriched to about 90% U-235. (b) Nuclear power plants emit large amounts of CO2 just like coal burning power plants. (c) The United States produces less than 1% of its electrical power from nuclear energy. (d) A nuclear weapon explodes when two pieces of fission-able uranium-235 are pushed together to reach a critical mass.
396
views
Textbook Question

Complete and balance the following nuclear equations.

(d) <ISOTOPE CHEM REACTION>

119
views
Textbook Question

Write balanced nuclear equations for the following processes.

(d) Positron emission of 165Ta

110
views
Textbook Question
Isotope A decays to isotope E through the following series of steps, in which the products of the individual decay events are themselves radioactive and undergo further decay until a stable nucleus is ultimately reached. Two kinds of processes are represented, one by the shorter arrows pointing right and the other by the longer arrows pointing left. (b) Identify and write the symbol for each isotope in the series:

422
views