Question

Which of the following metal is used in nuclear energy?
A. Zirconium
B. Aluminium
C. Copper
D. Mercury

Answer 1

Hint :The metal which is used in nuclear energy is a lustrous and greyish white metal. It is also ductile and malleable. It is excellent resistant to corrosion. Its oxide is used in ultra-strong ceramic. It is used to make crucible due to its high temperature application.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Nuclear energy is the energy which is released during nuclear reactions to generate heat which is generally used to produce electricity by steam turbines. Nuclear power can be produced from nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and nuclear decay reactions.
The metal which is used in nuclear energy is zirconium. Zirconium is a chemical element with atomic number $ 40 $ . It is represented by the symbol $ Zr $ . It is a lustrous and greyish white metal. It is also ductile and malleable. It is excellent resistant to corrosion. Its oxide is used in ultra-strong ceramic. It is used to make crucible due to its high temperature application.
In the form of zircaloy, zirconium is consumed by $ 1\% $ in nuclear reactors for cladding. This alloy has various properties such as it is a low neutron capture cross-section and it is also highly resistant to corrosion under normal service conditions.
Also zirconium alloys are highly reactive with water so it is also used to produce hydrogen by degradation of the fuel rod cladding. Zirconium is a constituent of the uranium zirconium hydride nuclear fuel used in TRIGA reactors.
Hence, option A is correct.

Note :
The materials which are fabricated from zirconium metal and its oxide that is $ Zr{O_2} $ are used in space vehicles because their resistance to heat is needed. Combustors, blades, and vanes in jet engines and stationary gas turbines are increasingly being protected by thin ceramic layers because they are high temperature parts so they are usually composed of a mixture of zirconia and yttria.