Question

Give uses of heavy water.

Answer 1

Hint: In heavy water, instead of the normal hydrogen, another isotope of hydrogen is present. It is heavier than hydrogen and is known as heavy hydrogen.

Complete step by step answer:
Heavy water is another form of water which contains an isotope of hydrogen which is larger than the normal hydrogen. It is known as deuterium and is represented by \[{H^2}\] or D. The molecular formula of heavy water is \[{}^2{H_2}O\] or \[{D_2}O\]. Deuterium is heavier than the normal hydrogen (H) which is called protium. Normal hydrogen (H) makes up almost most of the hydrogen in normal water. The presence of deuterium gives the water different nuclear properties, and the increase of mass gives it slightly different physical and chemical properties when compared to normal water.
Deuterium is a hydrogen isotope with a nucleus containing a neutron and a proton while the nucleus of a protium (normal hydrogen) atom consists of only a proton. The additional neutron makes a deuterium atom roughly twice as heavy as a protium atom. Heavy water is not radioactive.
Some of the uses of heavy water are:
Heavy water is used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors.
Heavy Water is used for the preparation of Deuterium.
Iso-topologues of many organic compounds are prepared with the help of deuterium oxide.
Heavy water is used instead of normal water in IR (infrared) spectroscopy.
Heavy water is used in formation of another hydrogen isotope called tritium. It is formed when the deuterium present in heavy water captures a neutron.

Note: Do not confuse heavy water with hard water. Hard water is water that has high mineral content, generally it has impurities of cations of \[C{a^{ + 2}}\] and \[M{g^{ + 2}}\].