What is heavy water?

kerry8888

Heavy water is chemically the same as regular (light) water, but with the two hydrogen atoms (as in H2O) replaced with deuterium atoms (hence the symbol D2O). Deuterium is an isotope of {hydrogen;} it has one extra neutron. Thus the deutrium atom consists of one proton and one neutron in the atomic nucleus and one orbiting electron. It is the extra neutron that makes heavy water 'heavy', about 10% heavier in fact. http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/sno/D2O.html Apr 29 03, 4:23 AM

McG

I always thought heavy water was contaminated by radioactivity, but I see on your site that it is not. ''It is important to note that heavy water is not radioactive, nor is it dangerous to humans or other life. The deuterium isotope occurs naturally in the ratio {1:4500;} thus D2O is found at the level of about 1 in 20 million water molecules.'' You learn something new every day. Apr 29 03, 8:16 AM

Lothruin

It is important to note that being caused by radioactivity and actually being radioactive are not neccessarily inclusive. Most isotopes are caused by radioactivity, ie the naturally occuring gamma rays that almost all particles on earth are exposed to in minimal ammounts daily. This would make the isotope totally natural, mostly random, and not neccessarily radioactive, while still having been caused by radioactivity. May 01 03, 2:43 AM