The Contribution of V. I. Vernadsky and A. P. Vinogradov to Heavy Water Studies and to the Emergence of Isotope Studies in the USSR

In 1932, H. C. Urey discovered the heavy isotope of hydrogen, deuterium, and a year later G. N. Lewis produced a pure sample of heavy water in which hydrogen atoms were replaced by deuterium. These discoveries attracted particular attention of V. I. Vernadsky who then initiated the studies on the properties of heavy water and, later on, of the isotopes of other elements at the Biogeochemical Laboratory of the USSR Academy of Sciences. A. P. Vinogradov also played a major role in these studies. This paper looks into the emergence and development of isotope studies in the USSR as a whole, the setting up and activities of the USSR Academy of Sciences’ Commission for Heavy Water Studies, Commission on Isotopes, and Uranium Commission. The paper also discusses the difficulties that accompanied research in this area, the creation of heavy water plants in the Soviet Union, and the efforts of Vernadsky and Vinogradov to obtain funding needed for the further pursuit of the studies on heavy water.

Keywords

V. I. Vernadsky, A. P. Vinogradov, Biogeochemical Laboratory of the USSR Academy of Sciences, heavy water, isotopes

Received

15.06.2020

Publication date

20.06.2020

Number of characters

31006

Cite

GOST	Vinogradova L. The Contribution of V. I. Vernadsky and A. P. Vinogradov to Heavy Water Studies and to the Emergence of Isotope Studies in the USSR // Voprosy istorii estestvoznaniia i tekhniki – 2020. – V. 41. – 2 C. 230-243 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://vietmag.org/S020596060009435-0-1 (circulation date: 25.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S020596060009435-0
MLA	Vinogradova, Loriana "The Contribution of V. I. Vernadsky and A. P. Vinogradov to Heavy Water Studies and to the Emergence of Isotope Studies in the USSR." Voprosy istorii estestvoznaniia i tekhniki 41.2 (2020):230-243. DOI: 10.31857/S020596060009435-0
APA	Vinogradova L. (2020). The Contribution of V. I. Vernadsky and A. P. Vinogradov to Heavy Water Studies and to the Emergence of Isotope Studies in the USSR. Voprosy istorii estestvoznaniia i tekhniki 41(2), pp.230-243 DOI: 10.31857/S020596060009435-0

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