Nuclear Physics Interview Question:

Why is heavy water used as a moderator?

Submitted by: Administrator

Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen
isotope deuterium.we can compare the neutron inatractions
with billiard ball collision, where neutron collids wth
nucleus of other automs & lose energey.If the colliding
nucleus size is small like hydrogen nucleus it will lose
maximum energey.If nucleus is hevy the neutron hits the
nucleus just changes its direction but not that much chnage
in the energy of neutron. So we use heavy water as
moderator to slow down neutrons.
Submitted by: Administrator