Which isotope is overwhelmingly the most common variety of hydrogen observed?
Answer
Protium ($ ext{H}^1$)
Hydrogen exists in several isotopic forms, but one variety vastly outnumbers the others, confirming hydrogen's overall dominance. The isotope known as Protium, denoted as $ ext{H}^1$, is the simplest form, composed purely of one proton and one electron, lacking any neutrons in its nucleus. Because this configuration was the easiest and fastest to form during Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, it is overwhelmingly the most common variety found throughout the cosmos. Heavier isotopes like Deuterium ($ ext{H}^2$) and Tritium ($ ext{H}^3$) exist but are produced in much smaller quantities, thus Protium solidifies hydrogen’s status as the universal backdrop.
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The Baseline #8 - Why Hydrogen Tells Us the Story of the Universe
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