UPSC CAPF (AC) 2026 Paper I · Question 101
Question 101 of the UPSC CAPF (AC) 2026 Paper I (19 July 2026). Try it first, then open the answer and explanation.
Which of the following statements about nuclear fuel are correct? 1. Spent fuel is highly radioactive. 2. Fuel has to be enriched. 3. Failure of the control system can lead to a meltdown. Select the answer using the code given below.
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
परमाणु ईंधन (nuclear fuel) के बारे में निम्नलिखित में से कौन-से कथन सही हैं? 1. भुक्तशेष ईंधन (spent fuel) अत्यधिक रेडियोऐक्टिव होता है। 2. ईंधन को संवर्धित किया जाना चाहिए। 3. नियंत्रण प्रणाली की विफलता से दुर्घटना (meltdown) हो सकती है। नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर उत्तर चुनिए।
- केवल 1 और 2
- 1, 2 और 3
- केवल 2 और 3
- केवल 1 और 3
Show answer
Answer: (2) 1, 2 and 3
उत्तर: (2) 1, 2 और 3
Spent fuel is intensely radioactive because it is full of fission products and transuranic elements. Natural uranium contains only about 0.7% fissile U-235, so the fuel for most power reactors (light-water reactors) is enriched to about 3-5% U-235; and if the control or cooling systems fail, heat can build up until the reactor core melts (a meltdown, as at Chernobyl and Fukushima), so all three statements are taken as correct.