Neutron-Deuterium Nuclear Collision · CAP 2022 #B3
Physics · modern-physics
Problem
Deuterium is the heavy stable isotope of hydrogen, having a proton and neutron in its nucleus (protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass). Heavy water is a form of water that contains Deuterium and Oxygen. A heavy water nuclear reactor has heavy water between the nuclear fuel rods. Suppose that a neutron from the fuel rod has a head-on elastic collision with a Deuterium nucleus.
a) Find the ratio of the final speed of the deuteron to the initial speed of the neutron.
b) What percentage of the initial kinetic energy is transferred to the deuteron?
c) How many such collisions is needed to slow down the neutron from 20 MeV to 0.02 eV?
d) How would this estimate change if we consider collisions at other angles?