heavy water
/'hevi'wɔ:tə/
Definition
- Noun:
- Water containing deuterium: A form of water where the hydrogen atoms are replaced by the heavier isotope deuterium (hydrogen-2). Its chemical formula is D₂O.
- Use in nuclear reactors: It is used as a neutron moderator and coolant in certain types of nuclear reactors because it slows down neutrons effectively without absorbing them as readily as ordinary water.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The nuclear reactor uses heavy water as a moderator.
- Scientists analyzed a sample of heavy water in the laboratory.
Advanced Usage
- "To produce heavy water": Refers to the industrial process of separating or concentrating deuterium oxide from ordinary water.
- The facility was built to produce heavy water for the research reactor.
Variants and Related Words
- Deuterium oxide (D₂O): The scientific name for heavy water.
- Light water: Ordinary water (H₂O), used as a contrast to heavy water in nuclear engineering contexts.
- Semi-heavy water (HDO): Water where one hydrogen atom is replaced by deuterium.
Synonyms
- Deuterium oxide: The precise chemical term.
Related Phrases and Compounds
- Heavy water reactor: A type of nuclear reactor that uses heavy water as its moderator and/or coolant.
- Heavy water moderator: The specific role heavy water plays in slowing down neutrons in a nuclear reactor.
Noun
-
water containing a substantial proportion of deuterium atoms, used in nuclear reactors
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