Definition

1. Noun:
   • A variant of a chemical element: An "isotope" is one of two or more forms of the same chemical element. These forms share the same number of protons (and thus the same atomic number and position in the periodic table) but have different numbers of neutrons in their atomic nuclei, resulting in different atomic masses.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are both isotopes of the element carbon.
  • Scientists use radioactive isotopes to date ancient artifacts.
  • The stability of an isotope depends on its neutron-to-proton ratio.

Advanced Usage

• "Stable isotope": An isotope that is not radioactive and does not decay over time.
  • Oxygen-16 is a stable isotope and the most common form of oxygen.
• "Radioactive isotope" (or "radioisotope"): An unstable isotope that decays, emitting radiation.
  • The hospital uses radioactive isotopes for medical imaging and cancer treatment.

Variants and Related Words

• Isotopic (adj): Relating to or denoting isotopes.
  • The researchers studied the isotopic composition of the rock sample.
• Isotopy (n): The state or condition of being isotopic; the relationship between isotopes.
• Isotope ratio: The relative abundance of different isotopes of an element in a given sample.
  • The isotope ratio of carbon can reveal information about an organism's diet.

Synonyms

• Nuclear variant: A less common term emphasizing the difference in the atomic nucleus.
• Atomic species: A technical term sometimes used in physics and chemistry to refer to atoms with specific numbers of protons and neutrons.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Isotope analysis: The measurement of isotope ratios, used in fields like geology, archaeology, and forensics.
• Isotope geochemistry: The study of the relative and absolute concentrations of elements and their isotopes in Earth and planetary systems.
• Isotopic signature: A unique ratio of isotopes that acts as a natural fingerprint for materials.

Noun

1. one of two or more atoms with the same atomic number but with different numbers of neutrons