Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Sample ports
Cap
Figure 21.6
Simplified
Diagram of a Nuclear Reactor
Control rods
Steam
Uranium fuel
Heavy water
Water
intake
Shield
Heat exchanger
Reactor
Pump
energy. The mass of this portion of matter is related to the energy by the famous
Einstein equation
mc
2
E
where
m
is the decrease in mass of the matter,
E
is the energy produced, and
c
is the velocity of light in a vacuum, a constant equal to The
in the equation is such a large number that conversion of a small quantity of
matter produces a large quantity of energy. This is the source of the energy of
nuclear bombs and nuclear power plants.
10
8
m/s.
c
2
3.00
EXAMPLE 21.17
1 kg
#
m
2
/s
2
)
How many joules of energy
(1 J
is produced by conversion of
1.00 kg of matter to energy?
Solution
10
8
m
b
2
a
3.00
mc
2
Note that Einstein's equation is
most easily used with mass in
kilograms.
E
1.00 kg
s
10
16
kg
#
m
2
/s
2
10
16
J
9.00
9.00
10
13
kJ
9.00
90.0 trillion kJ
Contrast that quantity of energy with the amount that can be produced by burn-
ing 1.00 kg of carbon, which is 32,800 kJ.
Snapshot Review
❒
Bombarding certain isotopes with small particles, especially neutrons,
causes them to split into two isotopes of more or less equal size
(plus other products), a process called nuclear fission.
ChemSkill Builder 23.6
❒
Memorize the charge and mass characteristics of the other small
particles.
