Hydrogen Isotopes
Hydrogen isotopes are variants of hydrogen atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. The three isotopes of hydrogen are protium, deuterium, and tritium. Deuterium and tritium are used as fuel in nuclear fusion reactions, which are the reactions that power the sun and other stars. In space and astronautical engineering, deuterium is used as a fuel in some types of rockets, particularly those that use nuclear propulsion. Tritium is used in some types of nuclear weapons and as a tracer in biological and environmental research. Deuterium is also used in some types of nuclear reactors as a moderator to slow down neutrons. Protium, the most common isotope of hydrogen, is used in fuel cells to generate electricity for spacecraft and other applications.
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