HEAVY WATER Meaning and
Definition
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Heavy water, also known as deuterium oxide, is a special form of water that contains a heavier isotope of hydrogen called deuterium. The term "heavy water" is derived from its increased molecular weight compared to regular water, with a chemical formula of D2O. In heavy water, the hydrogen atoms have one extra neutron, resulting in a deuterium atom.
Heavy water can be naturally occurring but is most commonly produced in a laboratory using various methods, including the electrolysis of water in which the hydrogen evolved is collected and enriched in the heavier isotope. This enrichment process results in heavy water having a unique physical composition, typically described as consisting of about 10-20% more mass compared to regular water.
The properties of heavy water differ slightly from those of regular water. It has a higher boiling point and freezing point, and it is slightly more viscous. These differences arise from the increased mass of the deuterium atom. Heavy water is also slightly less reactive chemically, although it still exhibits many of the characteristic properties of water such as dissolving substances and acting as a solvent.
Heavy water plays an essential role in nuclear reactors as a moderator, helping to slow down the neutrons emitted during fission reactions. Its unique properties make it an effective substance for controlling and regulating nuclear reactions. Additionally, heavy water is utilized in various scientific research applications, particularly in isotopic labeling experiments and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
While heavy water is not inherently toxic, ingestion of large amounts can disrupt the normal biological processes in living organisms due to the different physical properties of heavy water molecules compared to regular water molecules.
Common Misspellings for HEAVY WATER
- geavy water
- beavy water
- neavy water
- jeavy water
- ueavy water
- yeavy water
- hwavy water
- hsavy water
- hdavy water
- hravy water
- h4avy water
- h3avy water
- hezvy water
- hesvy water
- hewvy water
- heqvy water
- heacy water
- heaby water
- heagy water
Etymology of HEAVY WATER
The term "heavy water" originated from the fact that the water molecule contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Normally, hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1, while in heavy water, the hydrogen is replaced by its isotope deuterium, which has an atomic mass of 2. This substitution results in water having a higher molecular weight than normal water. The term "heavy water" was introduced in 1933 by the chemist Harold Urey, who discovered the isotope deuterium. The related term "heavy hydrogen" was also used before "heavy water" became the widely accepted term.
Similar spelling word for HEAVY WATER
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