Isotopes and Mass Number

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about isotopes and mass numbers, including carbon-12 and carbon-13.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, giving different mass numbers while keeping the same number of protons.

Mass number

Total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus; determines the isotope's mass (e.g., carbon-12 has mass number 12).

Carbon-12

An isotope of carbon with 6 protons and 6 neutrons; mass number 12.

Carbon-13

An isotope of carbon with 6 protons and 7 neutrons; mass number 13; one more neutron than carbon-12.

Neutrons

Electrically neutral subatomic particles in the nucleus; isotopes differ in the number of neutrons.