Homework 6, due Mon May 16, 2011 Physics 12: Spring 2011 1. Write a set of talking points describing the pro's and con's of nuclear energy. Suppose you were on the staff of a congressman who had to make a decision on what to support and she asked you to get her up to speed on the issue. 2. Write a set of talking points describing the pro's and con's of pursuing a breeder reactor program in the United States. 3. The half-life of Cs-137 is 30 years. Suppose a nuclear accident released 10,000 Curies of radioactive Cs-137 onto the sea floor off Japan. In how many years will the level of radioactivity drop down to around 10 Curies? 4. In order for Uranium ore to be useful for in a typical fission reactor it must be enriched to about what percentage? How about to be useful in a nuclear bomb? (Be sure to specify what is being enriched!) 5. A box with a frontal area of 3 square feet and a drag coefficient of CD=.9 is fastened on the roof of your car. What is the aerodynamic drag force in pounds due to the box alone at a velocity of 65 mi/hr. Ristinen and Kraushaar, Chapter 7: Questions and Problems: 1, 3, 8, 17 Chapter 7: Multiple choice: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9