C
Carbon
Z = 6 · Nonmetal · 12.0 u
Nuclear Engineering Significance
Moderator and reflector in graphite-moderated reactors (RBMK, AGR, HTGR, MSR). Very low thermal absorption (σ_a = 0.0035 b) makes it an excellent moderator despite requiring more collisions to thermalize than hydrogen. Requires S(α,β) thermal scattering data for bound graphite.
Basic properties
- Atomic number (Z)
- 6
- Standard atomic mass
- 12.0 u
- Category
- Nonmetal
Isotopes & cross-section data
| Isotope | Mass (A) | Half-life | ZAID | Libraries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-12 | 12 | Stable | .80c.71c.70c | |
| C-13 | 13 | Stable | .80c.71c.70c |