Question

A country consumes 1735 GWh per year. All of the energy comes from nuclear power plants, which at the moment utilize uranium. They are evaluating if they should make modifications to use thorium instead. Based on the price of raw material per year, which one would you recommend they use?

Information: Uranium – 0.02 g lost per 235 g of material, US$20/kg

Thorium – 0.03 g lost per 229 g of material, US$35/kg

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

given that a country consumes 1735 GWh per year. All of the energy comes from nuclear power plants, which at the moment utilize uranium. They are evaluating if they should make modifications to use thorium instead

Let us compare the prices of the substance used

Uranium - 0.02 g at the rate of 20 dollars per kg

i.e. 0.02 g @ 20 dollars per 1000 gm

Cost of Uranium =
`0.02*(20)/(1000) \\=0.0004`

i.e. 0.0004 dollars

Let us consider the alternative

Thorium 0.03 g lost @ 35 $ per kg

Cost of thoreium =
`(35)/(1000) *0.03\\= 0.00105`

i.e. 0.00105 dollars

We find 0.00105 >0.0004

i.e. Uranium is cheaper

So uranium is recommended