Given the three naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen (Protium, Deuterium, and Tritium), how many — Hydrogen Chemistry Question
Question
Given the three naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen (Protium, Deuterium, and Tritium), how many distinct homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomic molecules can theoretically exist in a highly energized plasma mixture of all three?
Answer: C
💡 Solution & Explanation
A diatomic molecule requires choosing 2 atoms from a pool of 3 distinct isotopes, with repetition allowed. The combinations are $H-H$, $D-D$, $T-T$ (homonuclear) and $H-D$, $H-T$, $D-T$ (heteronuclear), giving exactly 6 possible distinct diatomic molecules.
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