Thermal or fast neutrons are used for adding neutrons to atomic nuclei?

Asked Jul 15 '20 at 14:52

Active Jul 15 '20 at 14:52

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I understand that there is difference between thermal and fast neutrons according to their energy. Now, if one wishes to add neutrons into atomic nuclei, it should be easy as neutrons are neutral, so they can pass by the electron clouds and they don't get repulsed by nuclei itself, so no high energies are needed. Moreover, energetic neutrons may split atomic nuclei of some elements easily (Uranium). But some elements have very high neutron absorption cross sections;

So for neutron addition one has to use fast or thermal neutrons?

asked Jul 15 '20 at 14:52

A.M.M Elsayed 马克

1

Depends on the nucleus. Use ENDF to find the relevant cross sections. – Jon Custer Jul 15 '20 at 15:03
See for example https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/549774/thermal-neutrons-in-fission/553986#553986 – Jon Custer Jul 15 '20 at 15:05
Elsayed, you kind of asked the same question twice, see this answer in your other post. – Martin Jul 16 '20 at 06:07

Thermal or fast neutrons are used for adding neutrons to atomic nuclei?

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