Question

What is heavy water?

Answer 1

$\huge\sf{\underline{\underline{Heavy\:water:}}}$


Formula: $\boxed{D_{2}O}$

Heavy water is chemically deuterium oxide. It was discovered by Urey in 1932.


$\sf{\underline{\underline{Preparation:}}}$


$\bullet$ It is prepared by the exhaustive electrolysis of ordinary water.

$\bullet$ It was shown that ordinary water contains very small proportion of $D_{2}O$.

$\bullet$ So, when prolonged electrolysis of water is done, then $H_{2}$ is liberated much faster than $D_{2}$ and the remaining water becomes enriched in heavy water.

$\bullet$ It is obtained as a by-product in some fertilizer industries.


$\sf{\underline{\underline{Uses:}}}$


1) $\sf{\underline{\underline{Moderator}}}$:

$\implies$Heavy water is used as moderator in nuclear reactors.

$\implies$The job of the moderator is to slow down the fast moving neutrons and therefore controls the nuclear fission process.


2) $\sf{\underline{\underline{Tracer\:compound}}}$:

$\implies$It is used as a tracer compound, in studying the reaction mechanisms.


3) $\sf{\underline{\underline{Preparation\:of\:deuterium\:compound}}}$:

$\implies$It used as a starting material for the preparation of a number of deuterium compounds.