(a) (i) What is nuclear fission? (ii) State the function of each of the following ma-terials in a nuclear fision reactor: (\(\alpha\)) graphite, (\(\beta\))...

Question 1 Report

(a) (i) What is nuclear fission?

(ii) State the function of each of the following ma-terials in a nuclear fision reactor:

(\(\alpha\)) graphite, (\(\beta\)) boron rods; (\(\gamma\)) liquid sodium

(b) The table below gives some of the energy levels of a hydrogen atom.

n 1 2 3 4 5 \(\infty\)
E\(_n\)/\_eV\) -13.60 -3.39 -1.51 -0.85 -0.54 0.00


(i) Draw the energy level diagram for the atom.

(ii) Determine the wavelength of the photon emitted when the atom goes from the energy state n = 3 to the ground state. [h = 6.6 x 10\(^{-34}\) Js, c = 3 x 10\(^{8}\)ms\(^{-1}\), e = 1.6 x 10\(^{-19}\)]

(c) A piece of ancient bone from an excavation site showed \(^{14}_{6}\)C activity of 9.5 disintegrations per minute per 1.0x10\(^{-3}\)kg. If a bone specimen from a living creature shows \(^{14}_{6}\)C activity of 12.0 disintegrations per minute per 1.0 x 1 0\(^{-3}\), determine the age of the ancient bone. [Half - life of \(^{14}_{6}\)C = 5572 years].