[time-nuts] Better quartz crystals with single isotope ?

[Hal Murray]

brooke at pacific.net said:
> Isotopes of an element differ in the number of neutrons.  The chemical
> reactions of an element are governed by the  electrons, which are the same
> for all isotopes, so chemical means can not be used to separate the
> isotopes. 

That needs a qualification, maybe inserting something like "easily".

Some chemical reactions depend slightly on mass.  I was at a talk recently 
where the speaker was using isotope ratios to investigate the source of lead 
and mercury as pollutants.  The key is that the technology for measuring 
isotope ratios in now very good.  1E4 is common, at least in research labs 
focusing on this area.



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