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Nuclear processes - A Level Standard Questions

Q6. The moderator in a nuclear reactor is sometimes made of graphite. What is the purpose of the graphite?

A moderator moderates the speed of neutrons so that they are of a low enough energy to be efficiently absorbed by the uranium nuclei. If they are travelling to fast absoption is less likely. Its presence increases the probability of a neutron instigating a fission..

A to absorb all the heat produced

B to decrease the neutron speeds

C to absorb the α and γ radiations

D to prevent the reactor from going critical