Atomic and Nuclear PhysicsDOE-HDBK-1019/1-93NEUTRON INTERACTIONSSummaryThe important information in this chapter is summarized below.Neutron Interactions SummaryInteractions where a neutron scatters off a target nucleus are either elastic orinelastic. In elastic scattering, kinetic energy and momentum are conserved andno energy is transferred into excitation energy of the target nucleus. In inelasticscattering, some amount of kinetic energy is transferred into excitation energy ofthe target nucleus.The conservation principles that apply to an elastic collision are conservation ofkinetic energy and conservation of momentum.Radiative capture is the absorption of a neutron by the target nucleus, resultingin an excited nucleus which subsequently (typically within a small fraction of asecond) releases its excitation energy in the form of a gamma ray.Particle ejection occurs when a neutron is absorbed by a target nucleus, resultingin the formation of a compound nucleus. The compound nucleus immediatelyejects a particle (for example, alpha or proton).Rev. 0Page 47NP-01
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