What is the difference between an ion and an isotope? Give an example of each term.

These articles will help you find the difference between them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope

How do you take good research notes about a scientists name.Like Dr .Stanley Williams{volcanologist}.

You should type it as a new post on the top of the page Chynna

an ion has a positive or negative charge...exp. NH3+ (ammonia)

an isotope is an atom ..exp. carbon has different isotopes Ca11, Ca12, Ca13... the atomic number NUMBER doesnt change for carbon that's 6, but the mass changes for each different isotope.

An ion and an isotope are both terms used in chemistry to describe different properties of atoms.

First, let's understand what an atom is. An atom is the basic unit of matter that makes up everything around us. It consists of a nucleus, which contains positively charged protons and uncharged neutrons, and negatively charged electrons that orbit around the nucleus.

Now, let's define each term:

1. Ion: An ion is an atom or a group of atoms that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge. When an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes positively charged and is called a cation. On the other hand, when an atom gains one or more electrons, it becomes negatively charged and is called an anion.

Example of an ion: Sodium (Na+) is an example of a cation because it loses one electron and becomes positively charged. Chlorine (Cl-) is an example of an anion because it gains one electron and becomes negatively charged.

2. Isotope: Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. This means that isotopes have the same number of protons (which defines the element) but different numbers of neutrons. As a result, isotopes of an element have slightly different atomic masses.

Example of an isotope: Carbon has three naturally occurring isotopes: carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14. Carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, carbon-13 has 6 protons and 7 neutrons, and carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons. They all have the same number of protons (which makes them carbon), but different numbers of neutrons.

To differentiate between an ion and an isotope:
- An ion relates to the charge (positive or negative) gained or lost by the atom through the loss or gain of electrons.
- An isotope relates to the variation in the number of neutrons within the atom, resulting in different atomic masses.