"Isotopes are distinct nuclear species (or nuclides, as technical term) of the same element."
The different types of isotopes and how they decay, release energy, and emit radiation.
Atomic Structure: This involves understanding the basic structure of atoms, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Nuclear Stability: This involves understanding how the nucleus of an atom is held together and how different isotopes of an element can be stable or unstable.
Radioactive Decay: This involves understanding the process by which unstable isotopes decay and emit radiation in the form of alpha, beta, or gamma particles.
Half-life: This involves understanding the concept of half-life and how it is used to determine the age of fossils and rocks.
Nuclear Fission: This involves understanding the process by which large atomic nuclei are split into smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy.
Nuclear Fusion: This involves understanding the process by which small atomic nuclei are combined to form larger nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy.
Radiation Detection: This involves learning about the various methods used to detect and measure radiation, including Geiger counters and scintillation detectors.
Biological Effects of Radiation: This involves learning about the effects of radiation on living organisms, including DNA damage and radiation sickness.
Nuclear Energy: This involves understanding how nuclear energy is generated and how it is used to produce electricity.
Applications of Radioisotopes: This involves learning about the various applications of radioisotopes in medicine, industry, and agriculture.
Alpha particles: These are helium-4 nuclei emitted by radioactive materials. They are the least penetrating form of radiation and can be stopped by a piece of paper.
Beta particles: These are high energy electrons emitted by radioactive isotopes. They are more penetrating than alpha particles and can be stopped by a few millimeters of material such as aluminum.
Gamma rays: These are high energy photons emitted by radioactive isotopes. They are the most penetrating form of radiation and require several inches of dense material such as lead or concrete to stop them.
Neutrons: These are uncharged particles emitted by some isotopes during radioactive decay. They can be stopped by several inches of water or other material.
Protons: These are positively charged particles that can be emitted by radioactive materials, especially during fission. They can be stopped by several inches of material such as concrete or lead.
Positrons: These are antimatter particles with the same mass as electrons but opposite charge. They can be emitted by certain isotopes during radioactive decay.
Electron capture: This is a type of radioactive decay where an electron from the inner shell of an atom is captured by the nucleus. This changes the proton to a neutron and releases a neutrino.
Radioactive decay: This is the spontaneous breakdown of a radioactive nucleus into a lighter nucleus, releasing energy in the process.
Decay chain: This is a series of radioactive decays that occur as a result of a single radioactive event.
Half-life: This is the time it takes for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay into its daughter product.
Isotopes: These are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus, resulting in different atomic masses.
Radioisotopes: These are isotopes that are unstable and undergo radioactive decay.
Radionuclide: This is a radioactive isotope that emits radiation as it decays.
Radiation: This is the energy emitted in the form of particles or waves by radioactive isotopes.
Radioactivity: This is the process where unstable atoms emit radiation as they decay.
"They differ in nucleon numbers (mass numbers) due to different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei."
"They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table."
"They belong to the same chemical element."
"While all isotopes of a given element have almost the same chemical properties..."
"They have different atomic masses and physical properties."
"The meaning behind the name is that different isotopes of a single element occupy the same position on the periodic table."
"It was coined by Scottish doctor and writer Margaret Todd in 1913 in a suggestion to the British chemist Frederick Soddy."
"The number of protons within the atom's nucleus is called its atomic number."
"The number of protons within the atom's nucleus is called its atomic number and is equal to the number of electrons in the neutral (non-ionized) atom."
"The number of nucleons (both protons and neutrons) in the nucleus is the atom's mass number."
"Each isotope of a given element has a different mass number."
"For example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 are three isotopes of the element carbon with mass numbers 12, 13, and 14, respectively."
"The atomic number of carbon is 6, which means that every carbon atom has 6 protons..."
"...so that the neutron numbers of these isotopes are 6, 7, and 8 respectively."
"While all isotopes of a given element have almost the same chemical properties..."
"They have different atomic masses and physical properties."
"The meaning behind the name is that different isotopes of a single element occupy the same position on the periodic table."
"It was coined by Scottish doctor and writer Margaret Todd in 1913..."
"The number of protons within the atom's nucleus is called its atomic number and is equal to the number of electrons in the neutral (non-ionized) atom."