Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Heavy-water electrical conductivity

May 11, 2011

I always remembered my High School Chemistry Teacher's point about "Pure Water" not conducting electricity. I learned something from reading the Q&A's from the K-12's.

Now, my question is, all water, even (theoretically impossible) pure water, also contains traces of water molecules made up of Deuterium and/or Tritium atoms(variants on Hydrogen). And possibly, other, more exotic, undiscovered/unknown variants of Hydrogen. Assuming you did not have a perfect process for eliminating these variants.

In your opinion, what is the likelihood that the Deuterium or Tritium in the water is what would actually conduct electricity whereas the normal(pure water) would not?

Or, am I going too far?

Paul Charon
Hobbyist/Researcher - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Hi, Paul.

I suspect that it would make no difference. Isotopes are known for behaving exactly the same way in chemical reactions. So I doubt that water with excess deuterium and tritium will ionize any more or any less than regular water.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May 13, 2011