How and where can you get heavy water?

my chemistry teacher was telling me about how heavy water is made up..and I was wondering..how can you get heavy water? do you have to make it or can you purchase it?

Answer #1

Good questions.

I understand it is commercially available and I don’t think it’s regulated, but it’s quite specialised and unusual.

It kinda begs the question what you want it for. Do you have a nuclear reactor?

Answer #2

haha I figured that. Not sure, never thought there was anything such as heavy water.

Answer #3

You can buy it in small amounts at scientific research supply companies, like… http://www.unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=16_17_69

It’s listed as ‘Deutrium Oxide’ about halfway down the page. It runs about $10 per 10 grams. But unless you plan on doing research in organic chemistry, making deutrium gas, or building a nuclear reactor, I can’t imagine what you would want it for, especially considering you’re failing chemistry.

On the other had, if you want to spend $10 to make a single ice cube that sinks in water, that would be pretty boss. Go for it.

Answer #4

It sounds to me as though even if you could find a supplier, you wouldn’t be able to afford it so you may as well give up.

I suppose you could get good at chemistry and make it yourself.

Answer #5

“heavy water is 17th heavier than ordinary water” In the very real senses that heavy water has a molecular weight of 20.04 where ordinary water is 18.053. Of course, that quote might have meant its density is 1/17 greater which would have been roughly equally wrong since it’s about 1/9 greater. About 1 molecule in 6400 of ordinary water is HDO (a lot fewer ar DDO). I’d have to sit and think about it but I have a feeling that the relatively large amount of oxygen present messes up the 6ml from 1L idea. If anyone wants to do the 1 litre of water is so many moles so it has so many molecules which gives 1/6400 molecules of D2 which would give so many moles of heavy water ie such and such a volume maths it might be interesting.

Source:http://www.scienceforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28256

Answer #6

Heavy water is in ocean water in small amounts. It’s identical to water except for weight and nuclear stuff. It must be separated by weight over and over again to concentrate it, which is very hard.

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