College Physics 10th Edition by Raymond Serway,Chris Vuille

Exercise 10

Seawater contains 3 mg of uranium per cubic meter. (a) Given that the average ocean depth is about 4 km and water covers two-thirds of Earth's surface, estimate the amount of uranium dissolved in the ocean. (b) Estimate how long this uranium could supply the world's energy needs at the current usage of 1.5 × 10 13 J/s. (c) Where does the dissolved uranium come from Is it a renewable energy source Can uranium from the ocean satisfy our energy requirements Discuss. Note: Breeder reactors increase the efficiency of nuclear fuel use by approximately two orders of magnitude.