Deuterium is more abundant on Venus than elsewhere in the solar system.What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Deuterium is a heavy isotope of hydrogen that is more likely to remain in a planet's atmosphere when lighter hydrogen escapes into space. The abundance of deuterium on Venus suggests that the planet once had significant amounts of water, as water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Over time, the lighter hydrogen would have escaped Venus's atmosphere more easily than deuterium, leading to the current observed abundance of deuterium. This indicates that Venus once had huge amounts of water in its atmosphere.

Deuterium Is More Abundant on Venus Than Elsewhere in the Solar