Kinetic Isotope Effects of RuBisCO carbon, oxygen, and/or hydrogen, though currently only a significant isotope effect is seen for carbon isotope substitution. Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons but varying numbers of neutrons. "Lighter" isotopes (like the stable Carbon-12 isotope) have a smaller overall mass, and "heavier" isotopes (like the stable Carbon-13 isotope or radioactive Carbon-14 isotope) have a larger overall mass. Stable isotope geochemistry is concerned with how varying chemical and physical processes preferentially enrich or deplete stable isotopes. Enzymes like RuBisCO cause isotopic fractionation because molecules containing lighter isotopes have higher zero-point energies (ZPE), the lowest possible quantum energy
Isotope separation it can be removed from the sample by applying an electric field. This method is often abbreviated as AVLIS (atomic vapor laser isotope separation). This method has only recently been developed as laser technology has improved, and is currently not used extensively. However, it is a major concern to those in the field of nuclear proliferation because it may be cheaper and more easily hidden than other methods of isotope separation. Tunable lasers used in AVLIS include the dye laser and more recently diode lasers. A second method of laser separation is known as molecular laser isotope separation (MLIS). In