What is the Difference Between Protium and Deuterium?

The main difference between protium and deuterium lies in the number of neutrons in their nuclei. Protium, also known as hydrogen-1, is an isotope of hydrogen that contains one proton and one electron, with no neutrons in its nucleus. On the other hand, deuterium, also known as hydrogen-2, has one proton and one neutron in its nucleus. Here are some key differences between protium and deuterium:

• Abundance: Protium is the most abundant isotope of hydrogen, accounting for about 99.98% of all hydrogen atoms found in nature. Deuterium, on the other hand, makes up only about 0.0026–0.0184% of hydrogen samples on Earth.
• Mass: Protium has a mass of 1.007825 amu, while deuterium has a mass of 2.0141017778 amu. Deuterium is therefore approximately twice as massive as protium.
• Physical properties: Due to the difference in mass, deuterium and protium have different physical properties, such as density and rate of diffusion. For example, the boiling point of protium (H2O) is 373.15 K, while the boiling point of deuterium (D2O) is 374.5 K.
• Chemical properties: Despite the differences in mass and physical properties, protium and deuterium have similar chemical properties because their electronic configurations are the same. However, they may react at different rates due to differences in bond dissociation enthalpies.
• Nuclear properties: Protium is stable and non-radioactive, while deuterium is also stable and non-radioactive.

Comparative Table: Protium vs Deuterium

Here is a table summarizing the differences between protium and deuterium:

Protium and deuterium are both isotopes of hydrogen, with protium having no neutrons in its atomic nucleus and deuterium having one neutron. Due to the difference in the number of neutrons, protium has an atomic mass of 1, while deuterium has an atomic mass of 2. Protium is the most abundant isotope of hydrogen, making up about 99.98% of all hydrogen atoms. In contrast, deuterium is less abundant, accounting for only about 0.0026–0.0184% of hydrogen samples on Earth. Both protium and deuterium are stable isotopes and are not radioactive. However, they have different reaction rates due to their distinct physical properties, such as mass.