Quantum Differences between Heavy and Light Water.
The structures of heavy and light water at ambient conditions are investigated with the combined techniques of x-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and computer simulation. It is found that heavy water is a more structured liquid than light water. We find the OH bond length in H2O is approximately 3% longer than the OD bond length in D2O. This is a much larger change than current predictions. Corresponding to this, the hydrogen bond in light water is approximately 4% shorter than in heavy water, while the intermolecular HH distance is approximately 2% longer.
Soper
A K
AK
ISIS Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom. a.k.soper@rl.ac.uk
Benmore
C J
CJ