Ions and Isotopes Practice Test
•2 QuestionsThe isotope 
has protons, neutrons, and electrons.
The isotope
In the operation of nuclear reactors, engineers make use of substances known as neutron poisons. These are used to help store nuclear waste and slow nuclear reactions, but are also generated naturally in nuclear chain reactions as a by-product. This natural by-product can stop the desirable chain reaction present in a nuclear reactor used for power generation.
For example, in nuclear power plants, U-235 is used as a fuel. U-235 absorbs a neutron, and subsequently generates neutrons (which power the chain reaction) and Xe-135. Xe-135 is a well-known neutron poison, and thus can impact the continued chain reaction of a nuclear power plant if it becomes over abundant during power generation.
To help account for this, engineers have developed measurements to quantify the impact of Xe-135 on nuclear operations. For instance, the time during which there is an inability to start a reactor due to the buildup of Xe-135 is referred to as the precluded start-up time. Also, the amount of time that the reactor cannot override the effects of built up Xe-135 is called poison outage time. Perhaps the most important measure that engineers have developed is the _neutron absorption capacity (_σ), which is measured in units of barns and is a function of microscopic cross section. Xe-135 has a neutron absorption capacity of 2.00 * 106 barns, while another common poison, Sm-149, has a neutron absorption capacity of 74,500 barns.
A scientist studying the reaction above is surprised to find traces of Xe-124 in his analysis of the reaction. How is Xe-124 different from Xe-135?
In the operation of nuclear reactors, engineers make use of substances known as neutron poisons. These are used to help store nuclear waste and slow nuclear reactions, but are also generated naturally in nuclear chain reactions as a by-product. This natural by-product can stop the desirable chain reaction present in a nuclear reactor used for power generation.
For example, in nuclear power plants, U-235 is used as a fuel. U-235 absorbs a neutron, and subsequently generates neutrons (which power the chain reaction) and Xe-135. Xe-135 is a well-known neutron poison, and thus can impact the continued chain reaction of a nuclear power plant if it becomes over abundant during power generation.
To help account for this, engineers have developed measurements to quantify the impact of Xe-135 on nuclear operations. For instance, the time during which there is an inability to start a reactor due to the buildup of Xe-135 is referred to as the precluded start-up time. Also, the amount of time that the reactor cannot override the effects of built up Xe-135 is called poison outage time. Perhaps the most important measure that engineers have developed is the _neutron absorption capacity (_σ), which is measured in units of barns and is a function of microscopic cross section. Xe-135 has a neutron absorption capacity of 2.00 * 106 barns, while another common poison, Sm-149, has a neutron absorption capacity of 74,500 barns.
A scientist studying the reaction above is surprised to find traces of Xe-124 in his analysis of the reaction. How is Xe-124 different from Xe-135?