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Consider the following nuclear fusion reaction Each fusion event releases approx

ID: 1493957 • Letter: C

Question

Consider the following nuclear fusion reaction Each fusion event releases approximately 4.03 MeV of energy. How much total energy, in joules, would be released if all the deuterium atoms in a typical 0.250-kg glass of water were to undergo this fusion reaction? Assume that approximately 0.0105% of all the hydrogen atoms in the water are deuterium. Number A typical human body metabolizes energy from food at a rate of about 108.5 W, on average. How long, in days, would it take a human to metabolize the amount of energy calculated above? Number days

Explanation / Answer

no. of moles in 0.25kg (250g) of water (molar mass = 18) = (250/18) moles

No. of hydrogen atom in 250/18 moles of water = 2*(250/18)*avagadro number = (500/18)*6.022*1023

= 1.673*1025 H atoms

No. of deuterium = (0.0105/100)*1.673*1025 = 1.75665*1021

Two deuterim atoms give one reaction, hence no. of reactions = No. of deuterium/2 = 0.878325*1021

Energy released = 0.878325*1021 * 4.03 MeV = (0.878325*1021)*(4.03*106)*(1.6*10-19) J = 5.66*108 J

b)

Power = 108.5 W = 108.5 J/s

Time = (5.66*108 J) / (108.5 J/s) = 5216580 seconds = 60.4 days