deuterium

[doo-teer-ee-uh m, dyoo-] /duˈtɪər i əm, dyu-/
noun, Chemistry
1.
an isotope of hydrogen, having twice the mass of ordinary hydrogen; heavy hydrogen. Symbol: D; atomic weight: 2.01; atomic number: 1.
Origin
1933; < Greek deúter(os) second (see deutero-) + -ium
Examples from the web for deuterium
  • Most current fusion efforts look to combine two atoms of deuterium, a heavier version of hydrogen with an extra neutron.
  • When a warhead detonates, it squeezes the deuterium and tritium until they fuse together.
  • What's more, so far they haven't included the deuterium and tritium fuel in the capsule for the tests.
  • The pusher-deuterium interface, which moved at the particle speed, was tracked to determine that speed.
British Dictionary definitions for deuterium

deuterium

/djuːˈtɪərɪəm/
noun
1.
a stable isotope of hydrogen, occurring in natural hydrogen (156 parts per million) and in heavy water: used as a tracer in chemistry and biology. Symbol: D or ²H; atomic no: 1; atomic wt: 2.014; boiling pt: –249.7°C
Word Origin
C20: New Latin; see deutero-, -ium; from the fact that it is the second heaviest hydrogen isotope
Word Origin and History for deuterium
n.

1933, coined by U.S. chemist Harold C. Urey, with Modern Latin ending + Greek deuterion, neuter of deuterios "having second place," from deuteros "second," from duo (see two). So called because it is twice the mass of hydrogen.

deuterium in Medicine

deuterium deu·te·ri·um (dōō-tēr'ē-əm, dyōō-)
n.
An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in the nucleus having an atomic weight of 2.014. Also called heavy hydrogen, hydrogen-2.

deuterium in Science
deuterium
  (d-tîr'ē-əm)   
An isotope of hydrogen whose nucleus has one proton and one neutron and whose atomic mass is 2. Deuterium is used widely as a tracer for analyzing chemical reactions, and it combines with oxygen to form heavy water. Also called heavy hydrogen. See Note at heavy water.
Encyclopedia Article for deuterium

isotope of hydrogen with atomic weight of approximately 2. Its nucleus, consisting of one proton and one neutron, has double the mass of the nucleus of ordinary hydrogen. Deuterium is a stable atomic species found in natural hydrogen compounds to the extent of 0.014 to 0.015 percent.

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