Isotopes

What is an isotope?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

What is the mass number of an atom?

The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

What is the atomic number of an element?

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element’s identity.

How do you calculate the relative atomic mass of an element?

The relative atomic mass is the weighted average of the mass numbers of all the isotopes of an element, considering their relative abundances.

What is the difference between carbon-12 and carbon-14 isotopes?

Carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, whereas carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.

Why do isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties?

Isotopes have the same number of electrons in their outer shell, which determines their chemical properties.

What is radioactive decay?

Radioactive decay is the process in which unstable isotopes release radiation and transform into different elements.

What type of radiation is emitted during alpha decay?

Alpha decay emits alpha particles, which are composed of 2 protons and 2 neutrons.

What is half-life?

Half-life is the time required for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.

How do you calculate the number of remaining radioactive atoms after one half-life?

After one half-life, half of the original number of radioactive atoms remain.

What is carbon dating?

Carbon dating is a method used to estimate the age of organic materials by measuring the amount of carbon-14 remaining in them.

What is the role of neutrons in isotopes?

Neutrons affect the mass number of the isotope and contribute to its stability, but they do not affect the chemical behavior.

Why do some isotopes undergo radioactive decay?

Some isotopes have an unstable nucleus due to an imbalance in the number of protons and neutrons, causing them to undergo radioactive decay.

What is the significance of isotopes in medicine?

Isotopes, such as iodine-131 and technetium-99m, are used in medical imaging and treatments (e.g., cancer therapy).