Isotopes are the atoms witha)same mass number but different atomic num...
Isotopes have same atomic no. but different mass no.
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Isotopes are the atoms witha)same mass number but different atomic num...
Isotopes are the atoms with the same atomic number but different mass number.
Explanation:
Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element, which have the same number of protons in their atomic nucleus but differ in the number of neutrons. This difference in the number of neutrons leads to variations in their mass numbers.
Atomic Number:
The atomic number of an atom is the number of protons present in its nucleus. It determines the element's identity and its position on the periodic table. For example, all carbon atoms have an atomic number of 6, indicating that they have 6 protons in their nuclei.
Mass Number:
The mass number of an atom is the sum of its protons and neutrons. Since isotopes have the same number of protons (atomic number), their mass numbers differ due to the varying number of neutrons.
Example:
Let's take the example of carbon, which has three isotopes: carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.
- Carbon-12: It has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, so its mass number is 12 (6 protons + 6 neutrons).
- Carbon-13: It has 6 protons and 7 neutrons, so its mass number is 13 (6 protons + 7 neutrons).
- Carbon-14: It has 6 protons and 8 neutrons, so its mass number is 14 (6 protons + 8 neutrons).
As we can see, all three isotopes have the same atomic number (6) because they all have 6 protons. However, their mass numbers differ due to the varying number of neutrons.
Significance of Isotopes:
Isotopes have several practical applications in various fields. Some examples include:
- Carbon dating: Carbon-14 is used to determine the age of ancient artifacts and fossils.
- Medical imaging: Isotopes such as technetium-99m are used in nuclear medicine for diagnostic purposes.
- Radiocarbon dating: Isotopes like carbon-14 are used to determine the age of organic materials.
- Nuclear power: Isotopes like uranium-235 and plutonium-239 are used as fuel in nuclear reactors.
In conclusion, isotopes are atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers. The difference in mass numbers is due to the varying number of neutrons in their nuclei.
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