Consider a fission reaction where a Uranium-235 nucleus absorbs a neutron and th

Question

Consider a fission reaction where a Uranium-235 nucleus absorbs a neutron and then splits to Strontium, Xenon, and some neutrons. If the strontium nucleus has a mass number of 94 and the Xenon nucleus has a mass number of 139, how much energy is released in a single reaction? Use the attached table for the atomic masses of the nuclei. Give your answer in MeV and with 4 significant figures. (Hint: Balance the reaction first).

Isotope Masses for Fission
Z, A, Atomic mass (u)

Neutron 0    1     1.008665

Uranium 92     235      235.043923

Strontium 38

87 86.908877     88 87.905612     89 88.907451     90 89.907738     91 90.910203     92 91.911038     93 92.914026     94 93.915361     95 94.919359     96 95.921697     97 96.926153     98 97.928453     99 98.933240

Xenon 54

133 132.905910     134 133.905395     135 134.907227     136 135.907219     137 136.911562     138 137.913950     139 138.918793     140 139.921640     141 140.926650     142 141.929710     143 142.935110     144 143.938510     145 144.944070     146 145.947750

Explanation / Answer

92U235 + 0n1 -----> 38St94 + 54Xe139 + 30n1

energy of reactants = (235.043923+1.008665)*931.5 = 219882.985722 MeV

energy od products = ((93.915361+138.918793)+(3*1.008665))*931.5 = 219703.7287935 MeV

energy released = 219882.985722-219703.7287935 = 179.2569285 MeV

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