Why is deuterium oxide called "heavy water"? (1 point)
• It has extra oxygen atoms.
• It has extra hydrogen atoms.
• Its hydrogen atoms are heavier than others.
• Its oxygen atoms are heavier than others.
• Its hydrogen atoms are heavier than others.
Deuterium oxide is called "heavy water" because its hydrogen atoms are heavier than others.
The correct answer is: Its hydrogen atoms are heavier than others.
To understand why deuterium oxide is called "heavy water," we need to first understand what it is. Deuterium oxide, also known as D2O, is a form of water where the hydrogen atoms are replaced with deuterium atoms. Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen that has an extra neutron, making it heavier than normal hydrogen.
The term "heavy water" comes from the fact that the deuterium atoms in D2O are indeed heavier than the regular hydrogen atoms found in ordinary water (H2O). In ordinary water, the hydrogen atoms consist of a single proton and an electron, while in heavy water, the deuterium atoms consist of one proton, one neutron, and one electron.
The added mass of the neutron in deuterium makes heavy water denser than regular water. Due to its higher density, it has a slightly different physical and chemical properties compared to normal water. It also plays a crucial role in nuclear reactions, particularly in certain types of reactors and nuclear weapons.
So, in summary, deuterium oxide is referred to as "heavy water" because its hydrogen atoms are heavier than those in regular water, due to the presence of deuterium.