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Concept

neutron moderator

A neutron moderator is a medium used in nuclear reactors to reduce the speed of fast neutrons, turning them into thermal neutrons capable of sustaining a fission chain reaction. Effective moderators must slow neutrons through collisions without absorbing them. Heavy water is one of the most efficient moderators known, allowing reactors to operate using natural, unenriched uranium, a feature that made it a critical strategic resource during the twentieth century.

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