Thermodynamic isotope effect

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-011964",
  "term": "Thermodynamic isotope effect",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A change in the equilibrium constant of a reaction when one or more atoms in the reactants are replaced by their isotopes. This effect arises from differences in the vibrational frequencies and zero-point energies of isotopic molecules, which affect their relative stabilities. It is typically observed for light atoms like hydrogen and deuterium.",
  "synonyms": [
    "equilibrium isotope effect"
  ],
  "subject": "Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "deuterium",
    "equilibrium constant",
    "isotope effect",
    "isotopic fractionation factor",
    "isotopically substituted",
    "partition",
    "partition function",
    "protium",
    "tritium"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1131 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/thermodynamic-isotope-effect/"
}