All Questions
Tagged with radiation nuclear-engineering
55
questions
-3
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0
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Need help with SMRs and nuclear reactors [closed]
I'm writing my IB extended essay on SMRs and how they might be useful for energy generation in Singapore but I don't quite understand a couple things.
How do their passive safety systems work and ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
62
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Why are zirconium pressure tubes stored in waste containers when removed from nuclear plants?
Hi this is probably a bit of a silly question but I've been thinking a lot about the use of zirconium in nuclear plants. I know that zirconium has a very low neutron absorption cross section and that'...
- 15
0
votes
0
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30
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What is "point of interest" and why isn't there a Zref for determining electron beam quality with TRS 398?
What is "point of interest" and why isn't there a Zref for determining electron beam quality with TRS 398?
((To what depth do you put the ion chamber when you do high energetic electron ...
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22
votes
4
answers
6k
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Why don’t nuclear reactors burn through most of their fuel before discarding it?
The question: Why don’t nuclear reactors use more of the fuel, eg, 50%, 80%, before discarding it? It looks like there is plenty of energy left, and uranium is expensive. Also, there would be an ...
- 347
1
vote
2
answers
199
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Elevated Geiger Counter Radiation Reading for Envelope?
TL;DR: I'd like someone to run an experiment to prove that it is possible to induce a static electric charge on a plastic bubble mailer envelope (such as through rubbing with a plastic grocery bag or ...
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-4
votes
2
answers
102
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why are nuclear fallout shelters really necessary when radiation fades with distance so quickly? [closed]
why are nuclear fallout shelters really necessary when radiation fades with distance so quickly?
it diminishes with the inverse square law. I1xD1^2 = I2xD2^2. (Standard procedure is to measure ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
47
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$\rm NaI$ detector calibration with $\rm Cs$-137 and $\rm Co$-60 using Genie-2000 software [closed]
I have tried to calibrate the NaI detector with the NIM set, Cs-137, Co-60 radioactive sources and Genie 2000 software.
I used Cs-137 first and corrected the channel energy then used the Co-60, only ...
0
votes
0
answers
47
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Tritium Decay and He-3, $n$ reaction
I have two separate questions that I have simply not been able to find any answers to:
With regard to Tritium decay to He-3, I'm a bit confused as to why Tritium is unstable based on its $n$ to $p$ ...
- 1
13
votes
1
answer
1k
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Is it possible to make an all natural smoke detector from Brazil nuts?
After reading about Brazil nuts, I discovered they have very high levels of radiation due to trace amounts of Ra-226 and Ra-228 and their decay products. A kilogram of the nut, for instance, gives a ...
- 399
8
votes
4
answers
2k
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Non-irradiative methods to create radioactive isotopes?
My understanding is that the primary methods with which one can create a radioactive isotope are 1) just waiting for the isotope you want (by means of nuclear decay), or 2) some kind of induced ...
5
votes
2
answers
950
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Reflection of Gamma Rays
I have an experiment with a radioactive Cs$^{137}$ source which beta decays to Ba$^{137}$. Some of the barium are in an excited nuclear state which decay to the ground state and emit a $662$ keV $\...
- 2,599
0
votes
1
answer
69
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Find the maximum possible energy for a beta-particle decay-chain [closed]
So I have this problem where I'm supposed to find the maximum possible energy for a $\beta$-particle in the following decay-chain:
The first decay:
$$^{90}Sr\rightarrow ^{90}Y + \beta^- + \bar{v}_e$$
...
0
votes
1
answer
77
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How to estimate the power produced by this small U-238 check source?
I got this sealed check source to test my pancake detector (tube model is LND 7317). But I'm wondering if it's worth trying to collect some of the tiny amount of power it's producing as a fun home ...
- 3
2
votes
2
answers
506
views
If plutonium-238 (Pu-238) absorbs a neutron, does it become Pu-239?
I am asking this simple question because I am always hearing about how thorium reactors are less perilous to the world because, unlike uranium reactors, they produce some Pu-238, which is not suitable ...
- 4,509
4
votes
2
answers
3k
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What would happen if an atomic bomb exploded on a nuclear power plant?
Would the effect be different than if the nuclear power plant were bombed with traditional explosives?
Would the atomic bomb neutralise any potential radioactive effect of the obliteration of the ...
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