--%>

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 Lyman series Lyman series: The

    Lyman series: The sequence that explains the emission spectrum of hydrogen whenever electrons are jumping to the ground state. Each and every line is in the ultraviolet.

  • Q : Scanning electron and transmission

    Give one benefit of a scanning electron microscope over the transmission electron microscope? Briefly explain it.

  • Q : Define Gauss law Gauss' law (K.F.

    Gauss' law (K.F. Gauss): The electric flux via a closed surface is proportional to the arithmetical sum of electric charges contained in that closed surface; in its differential form, div E = rho,

  • Q : What is Refraction law Refraction law:

    Refraction law: For a wave-front travelling via a boundary among two media, the first with a refractive index of n1, and the other with one of n2, the angle of incidence theta is associated to the angle of refraction phi by:

  • Q : Velocity of the particle Determine the

    Determine the Velocity of the particle in terms of component veocities?

  • Q : What is Standard quantum limit Standard

    Standard quantum limit: It is the limit obligatory on standard techniques of measurement by the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics.

  • Q : Define Carnots theorem Carnot's theorem

    Carnot's theorem (S. Carnot): The theorem that states that no engine operating between the two temperatures can be more proficient than a reversible engine.

  • Q : Explain Tachyon paradox Tachyon

    Tachyon paradox: The argument explaining that tachyons (should they subsist, of course) can’t carry an electric charge. For an imaginary-massed particle travelling faster than c, less energy the tachyon has, the faster it travels, till at zero e

  • Q : Define Stefan-Boltzmann constant

    Stefan-Boltzmann constant: sigma (Stefan, L. Boltzmann): The constant of proportionality exist in the Stefan-Boltzmann law. It is equivalent to 5.6697 x 10-8 W/m2/K4.

  • Q : Define Mediocrity principle Mediocrity

    Mediocrity principle: The principle that there is nothing predominantly interesting about our position in space or time, or regarding ourselves. This principle most likely first made its real manifestation in the scientific community whenever Shapley