in other words, what is "Heavy water's" role in a nuclear reaction?
2006-12-02 19:42:42 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
a neutron moderator.
during fission, neutrons are released from uranium nuclei for example. these neutrons travel too fast for any thermal energy to be extracted from them. also, fast neutrons are actually less likely to fission other uranium nuclei, so a chain reaction is not sustainable.
these neutrons which are travelling at a tenth the speed of light, have to be slowed down by a moderator consisting of 1.light nuclei so that momentum is spread out properly and 2.these nuclei are not susceptible to completely capture the neutron. hydrogens in heavy water each have an extra neutron in their nuclei and so are less likely that regular water to absorb an incoming neutron from fission.
2006-12-02 21:11:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heavy water is water made from isotopes of hydrogen which have neutrons. The heavy water absorbs fewer neutrons leaving more neutrons in the reactor to keep the chain reaction going.
2006-12-02 20:53:36 · answer #2 · answered by physandchemteach 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
see the ref.
2006-12-02 19:56:22 · answer #3 · answered by myyahoo! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋