what is an isotope
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THESE ARE ELEMENTS OF THE PERIODIC TABLE WITH THE SAME ATOMIC NUMBER BUT WITH DIFFERENT MASS NUMBER
An isotope refers to each of two or more forms of an element that have the same number of protons in their atomic nuclei but differ in the number of neutrons. In simpler terms, isotopes are variants of an element with different mass numbers.
To understand what an isotope is, you can follow these steps:
1. Start by understanding the basic structure of an atom. An atom consists of a nucleus at its center, which contains positively charged protons and uncharged neutrons. Circling around the nucleus are negatively charged electrons.
2. Now, consider an element, which is defined by the number of protons in its nucleus. For example, all carbon atoms have six protons.
3. Isotopes of an element are different forms of that same element with varying numbers of neutrons. Neutrons are electrically neutral particles found in the nucleus. So, while the number of protons remains the same, the isotopes differ in their total mass due to the difference in the number of neutrons.
4. Isotopes are usually designated by their mass number, which is the sum of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For instance, carbon-12 (written as C-12) has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 (C-14) has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
5. Isotopes can have different physical properties, such as varying stability, radioactivity, or reactivity. These properties determine their applications in various fields, including medicine, energy, and archaeology.
Remember, isotopes are essential to understanding and studying atomic structure, as well as various chemical and physical processes involving elements.