What is the use of heavy water?
[amp_mcq option1=”It is used in nuclear reactors as a moderator” option2=”It is used in nuclear reactors as fuel” option3=”It is used in radiation therapy for cancer” option4=”It is used in water softening plants” correct=”option1″]
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UPSC Geoscientist – 2023
Heavy water (D₂O) is deuterium oxide, where hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron. In nuclear reactors, heavy water is primarily used as a moderator. A moderator slows down the fast neutrons released during nuclear fission to thermal neutron energies, which are required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction, especially in reactors using natural uranium as fuel.
Heavy water acts as a neutron moderator in certain types of nuclear reactors, effectively slowing down neutrons without absorbing them significantly.