--%>

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 : Explain quantum physics why quantum

    why quantum physics is studied? give me some of topics

  • Q : Describe the term ntu in thermodynamics

    Describe the term ntu in thermodynamics? Illustrate in short.

  • 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 : Explain Malus law Malus' law (E.L.

    Malus' law (E.L. Malus): The light intensity I of a ray with primary intensity I0 travelling via a polarizer at an angle theta among the polarization of the light ray and the polarization axis of the polarizer is specified by:

    Q : What do you understand by term ray

    What do you understand by term ray casting? Explain briefly?

  • Q : What is Hawking temperature Hawking

    Hawking temperature: The temperature of a black hole is caused by the emission of the hawking radiation. For a black hole with mass m, it is illustrated as: T = (hbar c3)/(8 pi G k m).

  • Q : Define Luxon Luxon : The particle that

    Luxon: The particle that travels solely at c (that is the speed of light in vacuum). All luxons have a rest mass of exactly zero. Though they are mass less, luxons do take momentum. The photons are the prime illustration of luxons (that is the name it

  • Q : Does solar radiation encompass a

    Does solar radiation encompass a complete spectrum of all the forms of electromagnetic radiation?

  • Q : Explain Newtons law of universal

    Newton's law of universal gravitation (Sir I. Newton): Two bodies exert a pull on each other with equivalent and opposite forces; the magnitude of this force is proportional to the product result of the two masses and is too proportional to the invers

  • Q : Explain Coanda effect Coanda effect:

    Coanda effect: The effect which points out that a fluid tends to flow all along a surface, instead of flowing via free space.