Isotopes

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number, and consequently in nucleon number. All isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in each atom.

Characteristics[edit | edit source]

The term isotope is formed from the Greek roots isos (ἴσος "equal") and topos (τόπος "place"), meaning "the same place". This is because the different isotopes of a single element occupy the same position on the periodic table. The number of protons within the atom's nucleus is called atomic number and is equal to the number of electrons in the neutral (non-ionized) atom. Each atomic number identifies a specific element, but not the isotope; an atom of a given element may have a wide range in its number of neutrons.

Types of Isotopes[edit | edit source]

There are two types of isotopes, namely, stable isotopes and radioactive isotopes. Stable isotopes do not decay into other elements. In contrast, radioactive isotopes decay over time. For example, carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Isotopes have many practical applications, including medicine, archaeology, and geology. For instance, in medicine, they are used in diagnostic imaging to examine the body's anatomy and assess the function of specific organs.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Isotopes Resources
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