Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
isotope
noun
/ˈaɪsəˌtoʊp/
Definition
Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Examples
- Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are two common isotopes of carbon.
- Isotopes are widely used in medical imaging and treatments.
- In nuclear chemistry, isotopes have distinct properties that are studied for various applications.
Meaning
The term ‘isotope’ refers to different forms of the same element that possess unique atomic mass values due to varying neutron counts.
Synonyms
- variant
- nuclide
