Question

Some statements about heavy water are given below:
i.) Heavy water is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.
ii.) Heavy water is more associated than ordinary water.
iii.) Heavy water is a more effective solvent than ordinary water.

Which of the above statements are correct?
a.) (i) and (ii)
b.) (i), (ii) and (iii)
c.) (ii) and (iii)
d.) (i) and (iii)

Answer 1

Hint: Heavy water unlike normal water contains fully or partially replaced isotopes of hydrogen for example deuterium. Heavy water is also used in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and also in the medical field.

Complete step by step answer:
Water contains more deuterium which is an isotope of hydrogen than the natural portion of the ordinary hydrogen is known as heavy water. It is used as a moderator in some nuclear reactors because it slows down the neutrons easily and effectively and also there is very low chance of absorption of neutrons.
Heavy water has a high boiling point as compared to ordinary water, hence we can say that heavy water is more associated as compared to ordinary water.
So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Additional Information:
There are basically two types of nuclear reaction i.e. nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Uranium is used as a fuel in the nuclear reactions and it is known as a radioactive fuel. The uranium is processed into small pallets and then those pallets are joined together into metal rods. These rods are known as fuel rods.

Note: The reason why the heavy water is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors not the ordinary water is because of the unnatural proportion of deuterium in the heavy water.
The dielectric constant is higher for ordinary water as compared to heavy water hence ordinary water is more efficient solvent than ordinary water.