Consider a system of nuclear power plants that produce 2100MW.
(a) What total mass of 23592U fuel would be required to operate these plants for 1 yr, assuming that 200 MeV is released per fission?
(b) Typically 6% of the 9038Sr nuclei that fission produce strontium-90, 9038Sr, a β- emitter with a half-life of 29 yr. What is the total radioactivity of the 9038Sr, in curies, produced in 1 yr? (Neglect the fact that some of it decays during the 1-yr period.)