ENERGI OF

NUCLEAR
REACTION
Take 1 g (0.001 kg) of 235U
nuclear fuel. The number of
atoms in this fuel is:
N = (1/235) x 6.02 x 1023 = 25.6
x 1020 atoms 235U.
Because every fission of 235U nuclear
fuel is accompanied by an energy
release of 200 MeV (million elktronvolts),
then 1 g of 235U which performs a
perfect fission reaction can release
energy as much as:
E = 25.6 x 1020 (atom) x 200 (MeV / atom)
= 51.2 x 1022 MeV
If the energy is expressed in units of
Joules (J), where 1 MeV = 1.6 x 10-13 J,
then the energy released becomes:
E = 51.2 x 1022 (MeV) x 1.6 x 10-13 (J / MeV)
= 81.92 x 109 J
Assuming that only 30% of the energy can
be converted into electrical energy, the
electrical energy that can be obtained
from 1 g 235U is:
Electricity = (30/100) x 81.92 x 109 J =
24.58 x 109 J
Because 1J = 1 W.s (E = P.t), electronic
equipment such as TV sets with power (P)
100 W can be met by 1 g 235U of
electricity during:
t = Electricity / P = 24.58 x 109 (J) / 100
(W) = 24.58 x 107 s
24.58 x 107 seconds is equal to 7.78 years
continuously without being turned off.