18O17O

18O17O refers to a molecule composed of two oxygen atoms, one being the oxygen-18 isotope and the other being the oxygen-17 isotope. Oxygen has three stable isotopes: oxygen-16 (16O), oxygen-17 (17O), and oxygen-18 (18O). While most oxygen molecules in nature are homonuclear, consisting of two identical isotopes (e.g., 16O16O), heteronuclear molecules like 18O17O are possible but much rarer.

The abundance of 17O in natural oxygen is approximately 0.038%, and the abundance of 18O is about 0.204%. This means that the probability of forming a molecule with one atom of each of these isotopes is significantly lower than forming a molecule of 16O16O, which is the most common form. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. In the case of oxygen, 16O has 8 neutrons, 17O has 9 neutrons, and 18O has 10 neutrons. These differences in mass affect the physical properties of molecules containing different isotopes, such as their vibrational frequencies and reaction rates.

The study of molecules like 18O17O can be relevant in fields like spectroscopy and isotopic analysis. Researchers may deliberately synthesize or isolate such molecules for specific experimental purposes, though they are not found in significant quantities in ambient conditions. Their unique mass composition distinguishes them from other oxygen molecules, allowing for their identification and tracking in controlled environments.