--%>

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 : Becquerel Becquerel : Bq (after A.H.

    Becquerel: Bq (after A.H. Becquerel, 1852-1908) - The derived SI unit of the activity stated as the activity of radionuclide decay at a rate, on the average, of one nuclear transition every 1 s; it hence has units of s-1.

  • Q : How fireworks turn to shapes similar to

    Briefly illustrate how do fireworks turn to shapes similar to hearts and stars?

  • Q : Explain Uncertainty principle

    Uncertainty principle (W. Heisenberg; 1927): A principle, central to the quantum mechanics that states which two complementary parameters (like energy and time, position and momentum, or angular momentum and angular displacement) can’t both be r

  • Q : Define Doppler Effect Doppler Effect

    Doppler Effect (C.J. Doppler): The waves emitted by a moving object as received by an observer will be blue shifted (compressed) when approaching, redshifted (that is, elongated) if receding. This takes place both in sound and also el

  • Q : Define Occams razor or Ockhams razor

    Occam's [or Ockham's] razor (William of Occam [or Ockham]; c. 1340): It is the suggestion that the simpler a theory is the better. When two theories forecast the phenomena to the similar accuracy, then the one that is simpler is the better one. Furthe

  • Q : Weights in pounds of the liquid gallons

    Write down the weights in pounds of the liquid gallons? Briefly describe it.

  • Q : Problem on beam For the beam

    For the beam illustrated below, we require to determine: (A) the support reactions

  • Q : Gas encompass density or not Explain in

    Explain in brief that the gas encompass density or not?

  • Q : Continuity of equation or Equation of

    Define Equation of continuity or Continuity of equation: An equation that states that a fluid flowing via a pipe flows at a rate that is inversely proportional to the cross-sectional region of the pipe. That is, when the pipe constric

  • Q : Define Tipler machine Tipler machine:

    Tipler machine: The solution to Einstein's equations of general relativity which permits time travel. A tremendously dense (that is, on the order of the density of neutron star matter), infinitely-long cylinder that rotates very quickly can form close