2007-03-16 15:20:22 · 6 answers · asked by Cindy B 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
There is only one element called hydrogen -- it has one proton in the nucleus, and one electron. However, there are three ISOTOPES of hydrogen. The difference is in the number of neutrons in the nucleus:
Hydrogen -- 0 neutrons; Atomic mass 1.007825 amu
Deuterium -- 1 neutron; Atomic mass 2.0140 amu
Tritium -- 2 neutrons; Atomic mass 3.01605 amu
Hydrogen is by far and away the most common isotope, comprising 99.985% of all the hydrogen atoms known. Deuterium comprises 0.015% of the total hydrogen, and tritium a tiny fraction that gets lost in the roundup.
Deuterium and tritium react in precisely the same manner as hydrogen -- chemically, the three isotopes are identical.
Hydrogen oxide (H2O) is the common water we know and use every day. Deuterium oxide (D2O) is "heavy water", and is used as a moderating medium in some fission power plants. Tritium is radioactive -- it is a beta emitter with a half-life of 12.26 years. It is used in some luminous dial watches and night-sights for military weapons, and is one of the major components of the hydrogen fusion bomb (with deuterium).
2007-03-16 15:23:11 · answer #1 · answered by Dave_Stark 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you referring to the state of the matter: solid, liquid, gas?
Or are you referrning to the isotopes: hydrogen, deuterium, tritium? If so, they all have one electron and one proton, they just differ in the number of neutrons 0,1,2 respectively.
2007-03-16 15:23:24 · answer #2 · answered by tickdhero 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if it is called deuterium (or tritium), then certainly it is not hydrogen, is it?
therefore: you have atomic hydrogen (H), extremely reactive due to its lone electron, the hydrogen molecule, H2, the normal hydrogen, and H+, the hydrogen atom without the electron, the telltale sign of acids.
2007-03-16 18:06:45 · answer #3 · answered by ixat02 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dave got it right. Give him full points. Tritium, with two neutrons, is radioactive, decaying by beta-minus emission to helium-3. The other two are stable.
2007-03-16 15:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
number of neutrons
they are called isotopes
their chemical properties is almost simmilar to normal hydrogen
2007-03-16 15:30:36 · answer #5 · answered by pierre m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why!? Do you plan on making a bomb!? Forget it! we'll get you!
2007-03-16 15:49:12 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋