Re: Why hydrogen does not have a neutron?

On Sat, 28 May 2005 09:01:12 -0700, Uncle Al <UncleAl0@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>Bob wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 27 May 2005 12:40:02 -0400, Marvin <physchem@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>> >
>> >Not so,. For many elements, the most abundant isotope has more neutrons than a less
>> >abundant isotope.
>> >
>>
>> For all elements except hydrogen -- I am fairly sure.
>
>Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, calcium -
>do they count?

I think that depends on how you interpret the question.

For C, for example... major isotope is C-12 (~99%). But there are
lighter isotopes, such as C-11. The lighter isotopes are less
abundant. In fact, they are not stable isotopes, and have "zero"
natural abundance. Since 0 < 99...

So, for some elements it is true that the most abundant isotope in
nature is the lightest _stable_ isotope. But certainly not the
lightest _known_ isotope.

I'd suggest that the latter is more appropriate for what the OP asked
-- but I wouldn?t make a big deal of it.

bob

.