Skip to content
Question of 140

Q.Which is used as a moderator in a nuclear reactor?

(a) Cd
(b) V-235
(c) Pb
(d) D2O
Madhya Pradesh MpbseMP Board Higher Secondary (Class 11) 2022MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
0% · 0/140 Questions
🔒 Locked · start free trial →

You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.

Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →

Heavy water (D2O) is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors because deuterium nuclei slow down fast neutrons by elastic collision while absorbing very few of them.

In a nuclear fission reactor, fast neutrons released by fission must be slowed to 'thermal' speeds so they can efficiently trigger further fission in fuel like U-235. A moderator does this by elastic collisions with light nuclei. D2O (heavy water) is an effective moderator because deuterium (mass close to a neutron) slows neutrons efficiently while having a very low neutron-capture cross-section. (Note: the paper's own option (b) prints 'V-235', which looks like a typesetting slip for the reactor fuel …

Unlock everything free for 14 days

  • Full step-by-step solutions
  • Concept-first explanations
  • Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
  • PYQ mapping + timed mock tests

Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.