Which isotope is the activation product of water?

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Multiple Choice

Which isotope is the activation product of water?

Explanation:
Water exposed to neutrons becomes activated mainly because the oxygen-16 in water undergoes a neutron-induced reaction that converts it into nitrogen-16. This happens via O-16 capturing a neutron and emitting a proton (O-16(n,p)N-16). Nitrogen-16 has a very short half-life, about 7 seconds, and decays with beta emission accompanied by high-energy gamma rays around 6 to 7 MeV. This makes N-16 the characteristic activation product of water and a major source of radiation in cooling water shortly after irradiation. The other options involve activation of materials like argon in air (Ar-41), hydrogen/isotopes (leading to H-3), or sodium (Na-24), which are not the primary activation products of water itself.

Water exposed to neutrons becomes activated mainly because the oxygen-16 in water undergoes a neutron-induced reaction that converts it into nitrogen-16. This happens via O-16 capturing a neutron and emitting a proton (O-16(n,p)N-16). Nitrogen-16 has a very short half-life, about 7 seconds, and decays with beta emission accompanied by high-energy gamma rays around 6 to 7 MeV. This makes N-16 the characteristic activation product of water and a major source of radiation in cooling water shortly after irradiation. The other options involve activation of materials like argon in air (Ar-41), hydrogen/isotopes (leading to H-3), or sodium (Na-24), which are not the primary activation products of water itself.

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