Light Water
Light water is a type of water that is commonly used as a coolant and neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. It is called 'light' because it is ordinary water, as opposed to 'heavy water' which contains a higher proportion of the isotope deuterium. In a nuclear reactor, light water is used to transfer heat from the reactor core to a steam turbine, which generates electricity. It also slows down neutrons produced by fission reactions, allowing them to be more easily absorbed by other uranium atoms and sustain the chain reaction. Light water is preferred over heavy water due to its abundance and lower cost, but it has some drawbacks such as its tendency to corrode reactor components and its lower neutron absorption cross-section. To mitigate these issues, various types of light water reactors have been developed, such as pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs).
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