{"id":13636,"date":"2014-02-13T23:26:11","date_gmt":"2014-02-13T23:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=13636"},"modified":"2025-12-11T15:48:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T21:48:29","slug":"isotopes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/isotopes\/","title":{"rendered":"Isotopes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" title=\"What Are Isotopes?\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px auto;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_N9Q0FajekfM\"><div id=\"lyte_N9Q0FajekfM\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FN9Q0FajekfM%2Fhqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\">What Are Isotopes?<\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/N9Q0FajekfM\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FN9Q0FajekfM%2F0.jpg\" alt=\"What Are Isotopes?\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px auto;\"><\/div>\n<p><script>\nfunction 6gD_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"6gD\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"6gD_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"6gD\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Example_1\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Example 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Example_2\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Example 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label><input id=\"FAQs\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>Hi, and welcome to this video on isotopes!<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s jump right in with a definition.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Isotope<\/strong>: various forms of the same element that have an equal number of protons (and therefore the same atomic number) but differing numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and therefore have different atomic mass but not chemical properties (a common example would be a radioactive form of an element). <\/p>\n<p>As of now, all 81 elements have at least one isotopic form. There are currently 275 isotopes of the 81 stable elements, which does not include the over 800 unstable and radioactive isotopes.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at some examples.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Example_1\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Example 1<\/h2>\n<p>Carbon atoms exist naturally with 6, 7, or 8 neutrons. Since each atom of carbon has 6 protons, the isotopes must have atomic masses of 12, 13, and 14. (Since atomic mass = mass protons + mass neutrons)<\/p>\n<p>These isotopes are called carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14. Alternatively, they may be written <sup>12<\/sup>C, <sup>13<\/sup>C, and <sup>14<\/sup>C.<\/p>\n<p>Carbon-12 and carbon-13 are stable. Carbon-14 is unstable, decaying with a half-life of about 5,700 years.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Example_2\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Example 2<\/h2>\n<p>Hydrogen is unique in that it\u2019s the only element whose isotopes have alternative names. Let&#8217;s take a look:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/hydrogen-alts-shadow.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"471\" height=\"291\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-87346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/hydrogen-alts-shadow.png 785w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/hydrogen-alts-shadow-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/hydrogen-alts-shadow-768x474.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 471px) 100vw, 471px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I hope that helps! Thanks for watching this video lesson, and until next time, happy studying!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"FAQs-spoiler\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-list\">\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">What is an isotope?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons (same element) but a different number of neutrons (different atomic mass). Isotopes have all the same chemical properties and reactivities. Many elements have multiple naturally-occurring isotopes in various ratios. The mass and relative abundance of each isotope are factored together (as a weighted average) to find the atomic weight of an element.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">What is a radioactive isotope?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>A radioactive isotope, or radioisotope, is an unstable isotope that releases excess energy and particles through the process of radioactive decay.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">How do you find isotopes?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Since all isotopes of a given element are chemically identical, there are no chemical methods of separation possible. The only methods currently utilized to separate isotopes rely on the minute differences in the mass of the atoms. This can be achieved in few different ways, but most commonly via diffusion, centrifugation, or distillation.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">How do you write isotopes?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Isotopes are identified in either hyphenated form (uranium-238) or in standard notation \\((^{238}_{\\phantom{0}92}\\text{U})\\). In both notations, the number of protons (92) and the neutrons (238 &#8211; 92 = 146) of the isotope is communicated, if somewhat hidden.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-13636","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"page_category-atoms-ions-and-molecules-videos","6":"page_type-video","7":"page_domain-science"},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 5.0.1.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An isotope is a different form of the same element with an equal amount of protons but different amounts of neutrons in its nucleus. 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