Isotopes Facts: Discover More Surprising Things About it
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In chemistry, all of us have learned that every element has its own special atom and this atom is made of a specific number of protons.
The number of protons will tell us about the atomic number of the element and it is quite astonishing to know that each atom of the element has an equal number of protons and electrons. Now, isotopes are atoms with the same quantity of electrons and protons, but a different number of neutrons.
Atoms of any element can exist in different types. These are known as isotopes.
An element can have different isotopes and these isotopes have different masses. This is because different isotopes have a different number of neutrons and hence do not have the same weight.
The atomic number of any element is decided by the number of protons and as different isotopes of an element have the same number of protons, the atomic number is the same.
Mass numbers are different for different isotopes as neutrons are different. The meaning of the word 'isotope' is at the same place and is given as isotopes remain at the same place on the periodic table.
If you see a neutral atom, the number of protons and the number of electrons is the same. So isotopes of the same element have the same number of electrons and also the same electronic structure.
Heavier isotopes tend to react more slowly chemically than lighter isotopes of the same element. Some elements have a single isotope. There are even radioactive isotopes apart from the stable isotopes.
The largest number of stable isotopes for any of the elements is 10. The highest number is of the element tin.
We know that the periodic table's heaviest elements are all radioactive. So all isotopes of thorium, radon, and uranium are radioactive and very heavy.
Characteristics And Types
Atoms are the building blocks of everything in life and everything around us is made up of atoms. Even the universe and everything it has to offer is made up of atoms.
An atom is made up of neutrons, protons, and electrons. Every element in the periodic table has its specific number.
This number makes up the number of protons that the element will have. Two atoms of the same element can only be different in the number of neutrons of each atom. It is called an isotope of an element if a set of atoms of the same element has different values of neutrons.
However, even if the atoms have a different number of neutrons, they belong to the same element. However, they won't be called atoms anymore, just isotopes.
Neutrons are neutral and have no charge. So changing their numbers does not affect the element greatly. Neutrons add to the weight of the element. Isotopes are identified by the mass they carry and these masses are calculated by the number of protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus. Uranium-isotopes are either written as 235U or as Uranium-235.
All elements have isotopes and the smallest number of isotopes is present in Hydrogen (just three). Xenon and Cesium have the most number of naturally occurring isotopes, which are 36 each.
There are either stable isotopes or unstable isotopes. To check which is which, all you have to check is how long the isotopes stay with us. An unstable form of isotopes is determined if it stays for a short amount of time and starts decaying early.
Once the decaying stops and completes, isotopes will either turn to be a different isotope or a different element. These unstable ones are also known as radioactive isotopes. However, most elements found in the world are made from stable isotopes.
This type of isotope does not change or decay easily and will stay a long time. Tin has the most stable isotopes in the world of any other naturally occurring substance.
Did you know that all man-made elements and non-natural ones are radioactive? Yes, many elements and all man-made ones are made of unstable or radioactive isotopes.
Different isotopes of one element have different masses and in turn, different weights.
Application
Isotopes have many important applications in our day-to-day lives and here are a few facts about the use of isotopes.
Isotopes are used a lot to solve medical mysteries as well as chemical ones. Isotopes have revolutionized the way things used to work and this has helped in many industrial practices all across the board. To understand the steps of a chemical reaction, studying the properties of isotopes can be revolutionary.
They are commonly used in laboratories to investigate steps involving a chemical reaction. Nuclear reactors use isotopes of uranium (uranium-235) as fuel. They are extensively seen in use in nuclear power plants.
For the treatment of goiter, isotopes in iodine are used for the treatment of cancer. Cobalt-60 is the go-to isotope of choice in radiotherapy treatment. For the treatment of blood cancer or leukemia, phosphorus-30 is used.
Radioisotope iodine-131 is used by being injected into the body of the human and checking the thyroid gland properly. You will be able to detect the amount of iodine-induced in the thyroid gland.
The hydrogen isotope with one neutron called deuterium can form water when mixed with oxygen. However, this is called 'heavy water' since deuterium consists of twice the mass of normal hydrogen.
Hydrogen is the only element that has different names according to the isotopes. If hydrogen has one neutron, it is called deuterium and if the element has two neutrons and one proton, it is named tritium.
Isotopes help in applications to find many different biological, chemical, ecological, and geological systems. It is important to understand the interactions of these isotopes and the dynamics between them.
The carbon dating process is helped tremendously by isotopes.
Occurrence In Nature
Natural isotopes are either radioactive ones or stable ones that stay in substantial amounts in the world.
The heaviest natural isotope is known to be uranium-238, however, the heaviest stable isotope is lead-208. Hydrogen has three natural isotopes.
Carbon-14 is used for radiocarbon dating and these radioisotopes occur in nature with a half-life. Remember, isotopes might not be available to you in sufficient quantities all the time.
There are known to be 254 stable isotopes and there are 26 elements that have at least one stable isotope. Elements that have only one stable isotope are called monoisotopic. There are thus 26 monoisotopic elements in the world.
FAQs
What is unique about isotope?
Isotope is one of two or even more forms of one single element. Different isotopes of one element have the same quantity of protons in the atomic nucleus which makes the element get the same atomic number. But as the number of neutrons is different, each isotope has a different atomic weight.
What are isotopes?
Isotopes are atoms that contain the same number of electrons and protons, but different neutrons.
How to find the average atomic mass of isotopes?
If you want to calculate the average atomic mass of isotopes, first multiply the fraction of the mass number of a single isotope and then add them together.
How to identify isotopes?
If you know the atomic mass of an element, subtract the number of protons from it. You will get the number of neutrons. If the number of neutrons is different, it is an isotope.
What are the stable isotopes of carbon?
C-12 and C-13 are stable isotopes of carbon.
How many isotopes does hydrogen have?
Hydrogen has three natural isotopes.
What are the stable isotopes of nitrogen?
N-14 and N-15 are stable isotopes of nitrogen.
How do radioactive isotopes differ from isotopes?
Radioactive isotopes decay faster than stable ones.
How are isotopes used in real life?
There are several uses of isotopes including in medical treatment and nuclear power plants.
How are isotopes harmful?
Radioactive isotopes can be quite harmful to us due to the radiation they emit.
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Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope
https://www.coolkidfacts.com/isotope-facts/
https://theconversation.com/amp/explainer-what-is-an-isotope-10688
https://www.ducksters.com/science/chemistry/isotopes.php
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