Deuterium Oxide, D₂O, and Water, H₂O, Have the Same Chemical

Deuterium oxide, D₂O, and water, H₂O, have the same chemical structure and differ only in that D₂O possesses the deuterium isotope of hydrogen, whereas water possesses the protium isotope. Deuterium oxide, also known as "heavy water," is 11 percent heavier than water. Might you expect its boiling temperature also to be about 11 percent greater? Why or why not?

A) The mass of the molecules has a far greater influence on the boiling temperature of the substance than does the polarity of the molecules, so D₂O boils at a higher temperature.
B) Since they have the same chemical structures, there is a similar molecular attraction between the molecules, so their boiling temperatures are similar.
C) Since deuterium is radioactive, it breaks down more easily, so it has a lower boiling temperature than water.
D) Since boiling temperature is a measure of the speed of a molecule, the heavier molecules move slower and thus have a higher boiling temperature.

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