The energy transfers in one collision between a neutron and a liquid are computed by a method of moments. It is shown that for large momentum transfers a perfect gas model is correct. For small momentum transfers a macroscopic description of the density fluctuations in the liquid is applicable. It is in the intermediate region (where diffraction peaks are observed) that the method of moments is most useful. These different experimental situations are discussed for liquids where recoil and quantum effects are negligible, and numerical results are given for argon. An approximation for the so called autocorrelation function, valid for both long and short time scales and all distances, is also presented.
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