Introduction to Nuclear

Reactor Physics
Properties of Free Neutron and
Nuclear Fission
Lecture: The Properties of Free Neutrons
and It’s Classification
Chadwik experiment (1932)
Beryllium radiation beats out from paraffin
protons with energy to 5,7 MeV.
For the imparting to protons of such energy
the photon has to possess energy in 55 MeV.
But the energy of recoil nuclei of nitrogen
observed at the same beryllium radiation
appears equal 1,2 MeV.
To transfer to nitrogen such energy, the
photon of radiation has to have energy of at
least 90 MeV.

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Chadwik experiment (1932)

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 Interaction force between nucleons
 Provide a great mount of energy
cores compared to others systems
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Neutron classification
The neutrons are classified according to their energy. They
can be roughly (for purposes of reactor physics) divided into
three energy ranges:
 Thermal neutrons (10–3 eV – 1 eV)
 Neutrons are in a thermal equilibrium with their
surrounding
 Most probabale energy at 20 degrees (C) – 0.025 eV
 Resonance (intermediate) neutrons (~ 1 eV – 100 keV)
 Fast neutrons (~ 100 keV – 10 MeV)