Recent content by richphys

Homework Statement A sphere has a height to diameter ratio of 1.00. The greater the surface area to volume ratio of a shape, the greater the neutron leakage. To increase neutron leakage should H/D be positive or negative? Homework Equations H/D The Attempt at a Solution Positive? Good...

Are there any tips you could offer regarding a discussion on critical mass, given the data I have? The data I have is as follows: Plutonium nitrate exists in concentrations < 1 Kg/L The total mass of plutonium nitrate is unknown. There will be 36.5 gallons of plutonium nitrate waste from the...

I have studied very little of it so far. Without access to a programme like MCMP what should I say regarding critical mass? I have formula for geometric buckling, dimensions of the storage drums and the density of plutonium, but there isn't much else to go on... I have a formula in the notes...

You haven't read my post. I'm asking for help on how (or if) I can calculate the critical mass with the information I'm given. I don't want someone to do my assignment for me I just need direction regarding critical mass.

I've attached the pdf below. In the mid-1960s a secret nuclear research facility was built around a remote inlet on the Russian Arctic coast. Shortly before the break-up of the Soviet Union decommissioning of the facility commenced and. Due to its remote location, and a lack of road access, it...

Thank you for the replies! Yes it is a university assignment. I'm stuck on another part of it now - possibly calculating critical mass. I made a new thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-to-calculate-critical-mass.946257/

Homework Statement How (or if) I can calculate critical mass with the information I'm given? I have to write a criticality safety evaluation for an assignment. The assignment is about decomissioning a dissolver which was used to recover plutonium. On the contingencies section I need to apply...

I'm assessing criticality safety of a waste removal plan for a (theoretical) abandoned russian laboratory. In the laboratory plutonium was recovered from fuel rods. The room is mainly empty except for a dissolver, a sump below the dissolver and spilled metal chips on the floor. The dissolver...

Yeah I don't really understand what's going on and I've run out of time so I will just put the answer as 3.8%. Thanks for the help

Yes, I did mass = density x volume which was (7310 kg m-3) x 10-30 Have I somehow got the answer even by doing this step wrong?

I have density as 7310 kg m-3 Then I did number of atoms n = mass of 1m3 of material / mass 1 atom n =(7310 x 10 -30 kg) / (1.908 x 10 -25 kg) chance = (10-26m2) x (0.0383/10-30 m3) x (10-4m) = 0.0383 I multipied that by 100 and got 3.83% (answer b) Is this correct?

Is density 7.31 x 10-10 kg m-3 ? For n, is 3.83 x 1045 correct? I'm still getting nowhere near the answer. Totally stuck.

Homework Statement A neutron is passing through a thin sheet of 115In of thickness 0.01 cm. Given that the density of the sheet is 7.31 g cm-3 and that the absorption cross section is 100 barns, what is the chance of the neutron being absorbed? You may assume the neutron is not scattered. a)...

Homework Statement A 191Os nucleus decays via β- emission to an excited state of 191Ir at 171 keV. What is the maximum kinetic energy of the electron on the β spectrum? a) 0.134 MeV b) 0.143 MeV c) 0.171 MeV d) 1.859 MeV Homework Equations 191 Os = 190.960928u 191 Ir = 190.960591u...

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