--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Why is heavy water employed as a moderator

Describe why is heavy water employed as a moderator? Illustrate.

E

Expert

Verified

Heavy water is highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium. We can evaluate the neutron interactions with billiard ball collision, where the neutron collides with nucleus of other atoms and lose energy. When the colliding nucleus size is small such as hydrogen nucleus it will lose the maximum energy. When nucleus is heavy, then the neutron hits the nucleus just alters its direction however not that much change in the energy of neutron. Therefore we use heavy water as moderator to slow down the neutrons.

   Related Questions in Physics

  • Q : What is Maxwells demon Maxwell's demon

    Maxwell's demon (J.C. Maxwell): A contemplation experiment describing the concepts of entropy. We contain a container of gas that is partitioned into two equivalent sides; each side is in thermal equilibrium with the other. The walls and the separatio

    		•
  • Q : Development of Missile technology Name

    Name the women scientist who played the essential role in the development of Missile technology of India and is nick named as the ‘Missile Woman’?

    		•
  • Q : What is Cherenkov radiation Cherenkov

    Cherenkov radiation (P.A. Cherenkov): The radiation emitted by a huge particle which is moving faster than light in the medium via which it is travelling. No particle can travel faster than the light in vacuum, however the speed of light in other medi

    		•
  • Q : Define Laue pattern Laue pattern (M.

    Laue pattern (M. von Laue): The pattern generated on a photographic film whenever high-frequency electromagnetic waves (like x-rays) are fired at the crystalline solid.

    		•
  • Q : Describe the term Specular Reflection

    Describe briefly the term Specular Reflection?

    		•
  • Q : Define Eddington limit Eddington limit

    Eddington limit (Sir A. Eddington): The hypothetical limit at which the photon pressure would surpass the gravitational attraction of a light-emitting body. That is, a body emanating radiation at bigger than the Eddington limit would

    		•
  • Q : Explain Coulombs law Coulomb's law (C.

    Coulomb's law (C. de Coulomb): The basic law for electrostatics, equivalent to Newton's law of universal gravitation. It defines that the force between two point charges is proportional to the arithmetical product of their respective

    		•
  • Q : Negative mass defect State is it

    State is it possible that the nucleus consists of negative mass defect?

    		•
  • Q : How asteroids are formed Explain how

    Explain how asteroids are formed? Describe.

    		•
  • Q : Calculate time needed for thermocouple

    A thermocouple of K type is suddenly exposed to air with temperature of 1273K, Initial temperature was 293 K. Calculate the time needed for the thermocouple read the temperature with accuracy of better that 99%. Ignore radiation and conduction. The measuring element has a ball shape of diameter o

    		•