Which of the following would be the most suitable analytical technique to determine the ratio of
$^{235}U$ to $^{238}U$ in a sample of uranium metal?
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 7 - 2010 - Paper 1
Question 7
Which of the following would be the most suitable analytical technique to determine the ratio of
$^{235}U$ to $^{238}U$ in a sample of uranium metal?
A. mass spect... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which of the following would be the most suitable analytical technique to determine the ratio of
$^{235}U$ to $^{238}U$ in a sample of uranium metal?
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 7 - 2010 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. mass spectroscopy
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Answer
Mass spectroscopy is the most suitable analytical technique for determining the ratio of isotopes, such as 235U to 238U. This technique is based on the principle of ionizing chemical species and sorting the ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). By measuring the abundance of each isotope, we can accurately determine their ratio in a sample. Given the specific demands of isotope analysis in uranium samples, mass spectroscopy is particularly effective.
Step 2
B. gas liquid chromatography
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Answer
Gas liquid chromatography is not suitable for determining isotope ratios as it separates compounds based on their volatility, not by mass or isotopic composition.
Step 3
C. atomic absorption spectroscopy
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Atomic absorption spectroscopy measures the concentration of elements but does not provide information on isotopic ratios, making it less suitable for this specific analysis.
Step 4
D. nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
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Answer
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is useful for studying molecular structure but is not effective for differentiating between isotopes in uranium, thereby not suitable for this application.
