Question 1
21 pts
Q1-Written response question on Chemistry
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami natural disaster that occurred on 11 March 2011 triggered a tsunami that caused
the flooding of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The loss of power to the nuclear reactor cooling system resulted
in runaway nuclear reactions, reactor meltdowns, and hydrogen explosions that released radioactive material into the
environment. At normal operating temperatures of approximately 300°C, a zircaloy cladding that protects the fuel rods is
inert. However, above 1,200°C, zirconium metal reacts exothermically with water (steam) to produce hydrogen gas and
zirconium oxide.
a) In the reaction producing zirconium oxide from zirconium, does zirconium get oxidised or reduced?
b) Write a fully balanced chemical equation including appropriate state symbols for the reaction between zirconium and
water to form hydrogen gas and zirconium oxide.
