What IS the Kinetic Isotope Effect and How Is It Useful?

Chemistry, Physics
[caption id="attachment_18280" align="alignright" width="460"] The simplest atom.[/caption] Matter and the atoms that make it up consists of electrons, protons, and neutrons. The center or nucleus of each atom consists of at least one positively charged proton. Usually the nucleus includes neutrons, which are uncharged. Negative electrons are found in orbitals well outside the nucleus. Their number equals the number of protons in the nucleus. Such atoms have a net charge of zero. Elements The number of protons determines what element an atom is. One proton identifies hydrogen, two protons helium, three lithium, four beryllium, five boron, six carbon, and so on. Each of these elements possesses a unique chemistry. The quantity of protons equals the quantity of electrons, so everything's set, right? Well, no! The number of neutrons in all…
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