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Originally Posted by Raptor1
BTW, Is D2O really a worse radiation shield than H2O?
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Of course I have to give you the weasel answer. Depends on what you mean by radiation shield? I am assuming from this thread that we are speaking of atomic radiation. By shield do you mean blocking totally or moderating (slowing down)?
As for blocking:
Alpha particles and Beta are blocked very well by water. Gamma radiation not so well. X-ray not so well. Neutron particles (radiation) very well. I am not sure of any significant (another great weasel word) changes between H2O and D2O for these radiation types.
As for slowing down:
In reactors Neutron particles are slowed down by water and D2O does a "better" job than H2O in slowing down the neutrons so that more have a chance to cause fission.