Average Number of Collisions Necessary for Slowing Down of Neutrons

Abstract

The average number of elastic collisions necessary for the slowing down of neutrons was derived from the moment generating function. The exact expression obtained by an algebraic operation program REDUCE 3.3 was complex for media with A>1, mass number A, and average logarithmic energy loss ξ. When neutron energy was reduced from E0 to E, an approximate expression was <N>=_0.7+ξ-1In(E0/E).