2026 · Q101
Which of the following statements about nuclear fuel are correct?
- 1Spent fuel is highly radioactive.
- 2Fuel has to be enriched.
- 3Failure of the control system can lead to a meltdown. Select the answer using the code given below.
general-sciencephysics-light-electricity
- A1 and 2 only
- B1, 2 and 3
- C2 and 3 only
- D1 and 3 only
Explanation
Spent nuclear fuel contains fission products and actinides and remains highly radioactive, requiring shielded storage — statement 1 is correct. The uranium fuel used in light-water reactors must be enriched (U-235 raised from 0.7% to about 3–5%) — statement 2 is correct. Failure of the control system can let the fission chain reaction run away, leading to core meltdown, as at Chernobyl — statement 3 is correct. Hence statements 1, 2 and 3.