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fractionation factor

(isotope quantity)

A fractionation factor is a ratio of ratios: the ratio heavy versus light isotopes in a compound produced by some kind of isotope fractionation. For example, when water evaporates, fractionation that leaves behind compounds mixed with the water): the evaporated water molecules are less likely to include 2H than those of the liquid water. The fractionation factor is the ratio of the before and after percentages of isotopes:

  αA-B = RA/RB

(chemistry,physics)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_fractionation
https://www.britannica.com/science/isotopic-fractionation
https://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/faculty/zeebe_files/Publications/WolfZeebeEnclp07.pdf

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